What Is a High Serve in Badminton? Step-by-Step Guide

If you want to be the strongest badminton player you can be, mastering different serve techniques is crucial. After all, the ability to switch up your serve can help you tailor your strategy to each opponent, stay unpredictable, and secure more wins on the court.

So, how can you add the high serve — also called the deep or long serve — to your badminton arsenal?

Keep reading to learn everything you should know about the high serve in badminton, including what it is and how to pull it off.

What Is a High Serve in Badminton?

A badminton high serve is an underhand shot that follows a high, far trajectory. When executed correctly, it will end with a sharp, downward curve near your opponent’s back service line. 

What are the advantages of a high serve?

It can help you prevent your opponent from hitting a strong shot early in the rally. Because it pushes them to the back of their service area, it often forces them to respond with a weak shot — giving you an early chance to gain the upper hand. 

Are there any cons to using a high serve in badminton?

Generally, high serves can be helpful when you want to start the rally with some space to breathe. 

But if your opponent is especially skilled and fast — or you’re playing doubles — they may be able to get behind the shuttle fast enough to smash it. This means, like all badminton shots, it can sometimes be a risky play.

How to Execute a High Serve in Badminton: Step-by-Step

Once you’re ready to start practicing your high serves in badminton, here are the steps that can help you pull it off:

Forehand High Serve

• Position yourself near the corner of the centerline of your service box.
• Stand perpendicular to the net, with your non-racket foot pointing toward the net and your racket foot pointing diagonally out in front of you. 
• Hold your racket using the forehand grip.
• Use two fingers to hold the shuttle by the feathers.
• Bring your racket back out by your side to load up for the shot.
• Drop the shuttle — and right after you drop it, swing your racket in an underhand motion to hit it high and far over the net.

Backhand High Serve

• Face the net with your racket leg in front of you and your non-racket leg behind you.
• Grab your racket using your backhand grip.
• Hold your racket out in front of you with the face pointing down at the ground.
• Hold the birdie in front of you with the tip pointing toward your racket’s face.
• Flex your wrist to pull your racket backward, loading up for the shot.
• Then, drop the shuttle, and use a snappy, powerful flick to hit it in a high trajectory toward your opponent’s back service line.

While You Practice the Badminton High Serve

While the high serve might seem like a simple shot, it can be tough to master — and you may need to make plenty of adjustments to your technique as you practice.

For example, a common forehand high serve mistake is swinging your racket at the same time that you drop the shuttle. To correct this, you’ll need to ensure you’re swinging your racket just after the drop. But this is just one of many tiny details that can affect the way your high serves pan out.

Overall, just remember to stay consistent, and don’t get discouraged the first few times you try this shot. Mastering it can take time — and with practice, you’ll be able to catch onto the timing, power, and technique it takes to execute this serve like a pro.

Looking for More Ways to Practice?

Check out our guide on the best badminton service drills today, or join the YouTube community for more ways to level up your game.