What strategy goes through a badminton player's mind before executing the first serve?
Using a short serve to try to gain momentum from your opponent's speed in anticipating the shuttlecock around the net, releasing a long serve to test your opponent's reach at the back of the court, or even using a fake serve to confuse and disrupt your opponent's rhythm.
These three service options are often the choices used by badminton players to start the game.
Apart from the schemes and playing styles that have been prepared to be able to trick the opponent through service, now badminton players are also required to think faster in choosing service options.
Even during the trial period, badminton players in the serving position are required to think quickly, not only in terms of choosing options, but also in terms of being able to maintain concentration and not lose the intensity of the game.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is currently testing a new rule, namely the “25-second rule” or “ 25-second timer ”, which requires that every player serving must not exceed the maximum time limit of 25 seconds.
This rule trial was implemented at the 2026 Daihatsu Indonesia Masters, which took place at Istora, Senayan.
Through this rule, the player who is the server is required to serve within a maximum of 25 seconds after the end of the rally, starting from when the referee enters the score.
During this time, players are allowed to do short activities such as drinking, wiping sweat, or tying shoelaces.
