Badminton rules are pretty simple. But sometimes the most simple concepts in any sport need explaining.
Whether you have just bought your first badminton set and are looking to play for the first time, or took a break from the sport for a while and need a refresher on some simple rules, then you might wonder – how many times can you hit a shuttlecock (AKA the birdie) when you are returning a serve or a shot from your opponent?
How many times can you hit a birdie in badminton?
When the shuttlecock is in play and it is hit to your side of the badminton court, then you only have one shot to hit the birdie (…queue Eminem’s hit song Lose Yourself !)
For clarity, if you hit the shuttlecock once, then you immediately hit it again and it goes over the net back to your opponent’s side of the court, then it is a dead ball and your opponent gets the point.
Can you hit the shuttlecock (birdie) twice if you are playing badminton doubles?
In both badminton singles and doubles, you can only hit the birdie once to return a volley.
If you hit the birdie and hit it again before it goes over the net to your opponent’s side, then it is a dead ball and a point is awarded to your opponent.
Can I hit the birdie twice during a badminton serve?
No, you cannot hit the shuttlecock twice. The same rules apply on a serve as well.
In Conclusion
There is pretty much no scenario in the Badminton sport where you can hit the birdie twice in a row once it passes over to your side of the court.