Will new Service rule on Badminton become a tough challenge for Shuttlers?

Will new service rule on Badminton become a tough challenge for shuttlers? That is a question that will be coming to every Badminton fan right now. Perhaps not…because all the shuttlers are working hard, to learn this rule in less time before upcoming All England Badminton Championship event. According to the new service rule, the shuttle shall be below 1.15 metres from the surface of the court at the instant of being hit by the server’s racket. The BWF also hosted a training workshop for umpires in Kuala Lumpur in January to propose the new law. In this workshop, they teach referees to use measuring devices to determine service height.

For the first time in Badminton history, these rules will be tested at All England Open 2018. Except the World Junior Championship, the rules will also apply in the Thomas and Uber Cup finals. BWF President Poul-Erik Hoyer says,” Over the years, we have been looking for ways to improve how the service laws are applied,”. After various discussions and investigations, the BWF council has determined to implement this Experimental Service Law. It is an effort to improve the application of the service law at BWF Major tournaments.

The Badminton Association of India hosted a workshop under the guidance of Vemuri Kumari to guide the Indian Shuttlers for this new service rule. The association has also called Mr.Sudhakar, who was the official umpire in three Olympics, lectured the Indian shuttlers about this rule. He is assisting the shuttlers with emphasis on the doubles combinations spearheaded by Ashwini Ponnappa and N. Sikki Reddy (women) and Manu Attri and B. Sumeeth Reddy (men) at the Gopi Chand Academy. In the next month’s German Open Tournament, BWF will experiment with the new fixed height service rule – where the shuttle has to hit serve at 1.15 m from the surface of the court. This event will be followed by All England Badminton Championship.