Best-of-five method for Malaysia Open

JAKARTA (JP): Badminton will undergo a crucial change when it tries out the popular best-of-five system during the Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur next week, with promoters trying to make the sport more attractive.

Punch Gunalan of the Badminton Association of Malaysia said on Thursday that the new system would take a game less time than the current best-of-three, Bernama reported.

A set will finish once a player takes nine points both in the men's and women's events, according to the new system. The best- of-three applies 11 points for a triumphant female player and 15 for a male.

The best-of-five system, which has long been adopted in other racket sports such as tennis and squash, will be exhibited in consolation games pitting the players who fail to qualify for the main draw of the July 5-9 tournament.

"We tried it out for a year in Norway and it looked great," said Gunalan, a Malaysian badminton living legend.

The International Badminton Federation has been put under pressure to motivate its players to stage a more aggressive game, much to the delight of spectators. IBF, however, has yet to reach a decision about whether to change or not.

Indonesian world champion Hariyanto Arbi is seeded first and expected to clear his early hurdles before a meeting with his conqueror in the All-England Poul Erik Hoyer-Larsen in the semifinals.

South Korean Park Sung-woo earns his career best seeding in the US$180,000 tournament. Ranked second, Park is tipped to meet the 1993 champion Ardy Wiranata of Indonesia.

In the women's singles, Susi Susanti, who was dethroned by Ye Zhaoying of China in the world championships, will for the first time enter a tournament as the second seed. She will seek a revenge of her All-England semifinal loss to Lim Xiaoqing of Sweden in the semifinals next week.

New world number one Bang Soo-hyun of South Korea tops the seeds. World champion Ye has decided to take a break from competing following her brilliant run in May.

World number two doubles Rudy Gunawan and Bambang Supriyanto are ranked first. Their fellow Indonesians and world number one team Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky will not compete in the tournament. (amd)