One of the most visible similarities between badminton and tennis is the equipment used. Both of these sports use rackets and nets as their primary equipment.

• A game starts with a coin toss.
• At no time during the game should the player touch the net, with his racquet or his body.
• The shuttlecock should not be carried on or come to rest on the racquet.
• A player should not reach over the net to hit the shuttlecock.

The name "badminton" originates from the British estate called Badminton House in Gloucestershire, England. In the mid-19th century, the Duke of Beaufort introduced a game to his guests that was played with shuttlecocks and battledores (racket-like implements). This game became popular among the British elite, and eventually, the sport was named after the estate where it was first played.