Why do you think so many people compare badminton with tennis? It’s because both the games have some similar characteristics, such as players using rackets and the two sides of the court divided by a net.
Although there are a few similarities, you should also know about the differences between these two sports, especially if you want to learn one of them.
Even though both the games require rackets, you will notice that the objects they hit are completely different. For badminton, you require a plastic object known as a shuttlecock and for tennis, it’s a yellow-green ball.
In both sports, you can play a one-on-one game or two-on-two games.
There is also a maximum limit on the number of players who can play the games. In tennis, you can have a maximum of two players in a team, while badminton allows six players per team. If you go on a family picnic, you might as well choose badminton as it allows more players to play together.
The difference in rules and scoring
In tennis, you need to bounce the ball in front of the opponent while serving. That rule doesn’t apply to badminton. In badminton, the shuttlecock must reach the opponent without dropping or touching the net.
The scoring system in badminton is traditional where each game lasts up to 11, 15, or 21 points. For tennis, the points start from 15, jump to 30, and finally 40, before the game ends. If both players are on 40 each, it’s called a deuce. The player serving must win two consecutive points to win the game.
Difference in courts
The height and width of the court are different in tennis and badminton. Tennis nets are closer to the ground, while badminton nets have a height of approximately 5 feet.
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The difference in the speed of ball/shuttle
According to the Guinness World Record, the fastest badminton shot recorded is 426 km/h, and for tennis, it’s 263 km/h. The speed generated by a badminton racket may be faster compared to tennis.
Difference in weight
Although both games require rackets, the shape, design, and weight of the rackets are different.
The weight of tennis rackets may vary from 255 grams to 365 grams. The legendary Roger Federer’s racket usually weighs 365 grams, while Andy Murray’s racket weighs 345 grams. It depends on how comfortable the player feels with the racket’s weight that matters the most.
On the other hand, the weight of badminton rackets may vary from 80 grams to 100 grams. The weight of the badminton racket is usually symbolized by the letter “U”.
Difference in earning
The earnings of tennis players are much more than badminton players. A quick look at the chart below will show the difference in earnings for the 5 richest players in both sports.
It is evident from the chart that tennis players earn a lot more. In fact, the poorest tennis player earns at least 8.5 times the amount that the richest badminton player earns.
The difference in penetration rate
Penetration rate means the number of participants in the game divided by the total population of the world. Tennis is mainly popular in the United States, Europe, and Australia. You can calculate the penetration rate from the following by considering the population of the countries:
- Europe: 780 million
- USA: 327 million
- Australia: 25 million