Badminton jargon: Have you ever tumbled into the divorce area?

The word may make you think of PE class in a draughty sports hall, but the popularity of badminton appears to be stronger than ever.

A 2023 survey found that badminton, along with boxing and basketball, is one of the most popular sports with adults aged 18-24 in the UK - an age group which favoured it over cricket and tennis.

Regardless of age, if you’re new to badminton, or coming back to the sport years after playing it at school - you may want a few pointers on how to chat about it like a pro. You can find the rules of badminton here - and in this article, BBC Bitesize - with a lot of help from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) - takes you through some of the jargon you may hear mentioned on court. Shuttlecocks at the ready… here we go.

Drift: You need to know how to work it

Neither snow, nor continental, this particular drift refers to the air in the arena and the impact of a current on the trajectory of the shuttlecock (or shuttle).

Many different things contribute to drift. The temperature in the arena, its air-conditioning and anything that can bring in a sudden gust from outside, such as a door, window or vents.

High-ceilinged halls and hotter climates create a higher amount of drift on the light shuttlecock, shifting its path through the air and requiring players to adapt to different drift in different venues.

Drift doesn’t stay the same, either. If a large number of people arrive to watch the match, their collective body temperature can make the temperature warmer and impact on drift further. It’s the sign of a good badminton player to react to changes in drift and still keep control of the shuttle.

Tumble: Topples your opponents

Sadly, this wasn’t invented by CBeebies’ very own Mr Tumble, but it is just as popular with badminton players.

A tumble is a shot played close to the net. It makes the shuttle tumble over it and - played effectively - it makes it difficult for their opponents to return the shot effectively. In India, the tumble is also popular, but is referred to as a dribble.

Deception: Scheme your way to success

Sometimes it pays to wrong-foot an opponent and make them anticipate a completely different shot than the one coming over the net.

Some players can make deceptive moves a few times during a match but others have managed to make their entire gameplay revolve around tricking the competition. If you want to find out more about deception in badminton, the BWF highlight Taufik Hidayat, Ratchanok Intanon and Tai Tzu Ying as players to study.

Drive: Turn defence into attack

Badminton is a fast sport with players constantly aiming to get an advantage over their opponents. A shot that can help with this is the drive, where someone in a defensive position can suddenly go on the attack.

This speedy move is played from the middle of the court and makes the shuttle travel in a flat trajectory until it just crosses the net. The backhand drive can often be seen in play in modern doubles games, as it gives players greater room for manoeuvre when compared to the forehand drive.

Rotation: Play together, stay together

Anyone who has watched a badminton doubles game in action will know how much the four players need to keep their wits about them.

An opponent will do all they can to score a point (obviously) so a doubles team must work together to make sure their side of the court is well guarded. They do this by staying in sync and being aware of the spaces each needs to cover during a rally.

Divorce area: Always avoid a clash

One of the cheekier nicknames for a section of the badminton court, this term is not used as often as it was.

It refers to matches between players who perhaps aren’t up to international standards just yet, and takes place in the space between the front court and back court in a mixed doubles game.

A shuttle hit into this space will often cause both players to go for it and clash their rackets awkwardly. It’s the type of moment which can leave the doubles players bickering and disagreeing - but hopefully not headed for divorce.

This article was published in February 2024