Comparing Visual Gaze Pattern Strategy of Different Skill Level Badminton Players During Badminton Service Reception

The purpose of this study was to examine the eye movement characteristics and visual attention of badminton players with different levels of experience during serve reception. Twenty badminton players (n = 12 elite and n = 8 novice) performed 20 serve receptions (backhand and forehand, short and long serves). Eye movements, including quiet eye (QE) duration, average fixation duration, first fixation duration, and fixation count across 15 predefined areas of interest (AoIs), as well as pupillary responses (pupil diameter) during baseline and serve reception, were analysed. The results showed that elite players exhibited significantly longer QE durations than novice players during serve reception. Although no significant differences were observed in pupil diameter between groups, pupil dilation increased in all players during serve reception compared with baseline values, with greater dilation observed during forehand short and long serves. With respect to AoIs, elite players demonstrated significantly longer fixation durations on task-relevant areas, particularly the waist and racket, followed by the ball, left hand, and wrist, whereas novice players exhibited longer fixation durations on the head and outer areas. Overall, increased QE duration and pupil dilation during serve reception appear to be associated with enhanced visual attention processing. The findings indicate that gaze behaviour strategies differ according to playing experience during singles badminton serve reception, highlighting the importance of visual–motor integration in perceptual–motor performance.