In badminton, what type of court is used for singles matches?

In badminton, singles matches use a narrower court than doubles matches.

The full court has the same length for both formats, but singles play uses the inner sidelines. Doubles play uses the outer sidelines, making the doubles court wider. The back boundary line is used in both singles and doubles during rallies.

The court markings can be confusing because the doubles service area is shorter at the back, while the singles service area extends to the rear boundary line. After the serve, however, rallies use the relevant full singles or full doubles boundaries.

This design rewards different tactics. Singles players cover a narrower but still lengthy court alone, while doubles players share coverage across a wider playing area and often rely on fast attacking formations.