The rules of crossing a net can be a little confusing, especially for a beginner and so we will try to provide all the details for the same.
Let’s dive right into –
When can Badminton Rackets cross net
Badminton Racket over the net fault
Badminton Racket net touch rules
How can you avoid committing a fault
Badminton serves rules
When can Badminton Rackets cross net?
Generally, a player is not allowed to cross their racket over the net to the opponent’s side as it will be considered a fault.
However, in a continuation of shots, if the initial point where the Badminton Racket touches the shuttle is in the striker’s side of the net and then the racket crosses the net without touching the net itself, then, it will not be considered a fault.
Suppose you are in middle of the game, where you hit the shuttle with a racket on your side of the net and then as a follow-up action, Badminton Racket crosses the net. This will not be considered a fault unless and until you touch the net with your racket, or you obstruct opponent from returning the shot.
A Badminton Racket is allowed to cross the net in such situations because it is understood that when a player hits a shot, there is always a follow-up movement that a player is bound to complete. This is the reason why player is allowed to complete the movement of their shot even on the other side of the net as the player is not gaining any additional advantage from that move.
Badminton Racket over the net fault
There are various situations in which crossing your badminton racket over the net to other side is considered a fault. The situation which we described above where the player is allowed to complete the movement of his shot over the net is just an exception. All other situations where a player crosses their racket to the other side of the net is considered a fault. The main three circumstances where crossing net is considered a fault is as follows-
1. You simply cross the net with your Badminton Racket
If you cross the net without hitting the shuttle first at your side of the court, it will be considered a fault. You are not allowed to cross the net to the opponent’s side as per the general rules of badminton.
2. You hit the shuttle with your Badminton Racket before it enters your side of the court
It is not allowed to hit the shuttle before it enters your side of the court. This is because hitting the shuttle on opponent’s side will be a disadvantage to the opponent as his shot is not completed. Also, you will have an opportunity of gaining extra power for your smash against your opponent which is not morally and practically right. That is why you are not allowed to hit the shuttle before it enters your side of the court.
3. You obstruct your opponent from returning a legal shot
Even if you hit the shuttle first on your side of the court and as follow-up movement, your racket crosses the net and the Umpire feels like you have obstructed your opponent from returning a legal shot, then the Umpire has the power to announce it as a fault.
How can you avoid committing a fault
1. Avoid any contact with the net
As we have learned that any contact with the net will be considered a fault and you will have to lose a point for the same. To avoid such faults, make sure you are not too close to the net. Maintain a safe distance with the net as far as possible. If you like playing near the net, avoid wearing baggy clothes as they might touch the net while playing. While hitting a smash near the net, try to maintain a safe height from the net to avoid any contact of you racket with the net.
2. Reduce pace of follow-up movement
Whenever a player hits the shuttle, there is always a follow-up movement that a player completes. When you are playing near the net, it is better if you try to reduce the follow-up movement of your shot. This will help in avoiding any contact with the net. Also, reducing the follow-up movement will give more time to prepare for the next shot and get into position for the same.
3. Avoid obstructing the opponent
When a player plays near the net, it is possible that the action of the player can obstruct the opponent from returning a legal shot. If this happens, the Umpire will immediately call it a fault and you will lose a point. Also, intentionally, or accidently distracting your opponent while he is trying to return a legal point is not acceptable in badminton and the Umpire has power to declare it a fault and you will end up losing a point.
Badminton Racket net touch rules
Playing near the net can be a tricky business. There are many near the net rules that must be kept in mind while playing. The main near the net circumstances under which can be declared as faults are as follows-
When player’s Badminton Racket, clothes, or the player himself touches the net
It is a wide known fact that a player is not allowed touch the net while playing. Neither the racket nor the player himself is allowed to touch the net as it will immediately be declared a fault and he will lose a point to the opponent.
When player or his Badminton Racket enters opponent’s court from under the net
If the player invades the opponent’s side of the court from under the net, intentionally to distract the player or otherwise, it will be termed as a fault, and the opponent will gain a point.
When The player tries to distract the opponent
Distracting your opponent from returning a legal shot while playing is illegal in badminton. When you are near the net, you are also near the opponent. If the Umpire thinks that you made a particular movement or gesture to distract your opponent from returning a legal shot, he has the power to call a fault against you and you will end up losing a point.
Badminton serves rules
Apart from the above-mentioned possible scenarios of fault in badminton, one should also have the knowledge of general rules of serving in badminton to avoid losing point. Some of the commonly asked questions about serve rules in badminton are as follows-
1. Wait until your opponent is ready
This is one of the most basic rules in practically any sport is to let your opponent get ready before serving. However, it will not be considered a fault if the opponent tries to return the shot as he will deem to be ready.
2. Don’t move
Both players should remain stationary at the time of the serve. Their feet should not move while the shuttle is being served or it will be considered a fault and the person moving will lose a point. Also, the feet of the player who is serving should not touch any of the line on the court.
3. Missing shuttle while serving
If the player misses the shuttle while serving, it will not be considered a fault. However, if even an inch of the Badminton Racket touches the shuttle and the player fails to deliver a proper serve, he will certainly lose a point.
4. Don’t cross the line
The serve should not land on or before the short line of the opponent as it will be termed as a fault of the player if the opponent leaves the shuttle. Similarly, unless the opponent hits the shuttle, the serve must not land in any of the outside area.
Conclusion
We tried to answer the question of whether badminton rackets can cross net or not. We can say that generally a Badminton Racket is not allowed to cross net but there are exceptions.
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