Players say Grand Slam must offer many points

YOGYAKARTA (JP): International shuttlers expect to earn many world ranking points from the Grand Slam series, which will replace the World Cup. The World Cup is currently an invitational event which does not influence the shuttlers' ranking.

The Singapore Open winner, Hariyanto Arbi of Indonesia, said the Grand Slam should give more points to the winner and thereby increase the player's ranking.

Ong Ewe Hock of Malaysia said the Grand Slam must have "big points" while other Grand Prix series tournaments should only give "small points".

"It should be like tennis, where the Grand Slams are the most prestigious events compared to the others on the circuit," he said.

The International Badminton Federation plans to run a trial for the Grand Slam next year by staging seven major tournaments -- four in Asia, two in Europe and one in the U.S.

However, the federation has yet to confirm which tournaments will be included in the Grand Slam, but five-star tournaments - including the US Open, the All England, the Japan Open and the Indonesia Open in Asia - are likely to be chosen.

The Badminton Association of Indonesia's secretary-general, RAJ Gosal, said each host country would have to stage the series in the same venue every year. For example, the US Open will always take place in the Orange County, California.

"It's not like the Indonesia Open which takes place in a different location every year," he said.

The 1996 Indonesia Open was staged in Medan, North Sumatra, while this year the tournament took place in Surakarta, Central Java.

Kinji Zeniya, an official of the Japanese team who is also working for the sponsor Sanyo, said he hoped the Japan Open would be one of the Grand Slam series.

"I agree that the Grand Slam should be staged next year. I also hope that Sanyo will sponsor the series," he said.

Hariyanto said only the best 16 in singles and the best eight in doubles should compete in the Grand Slams.

"Only the best should have the chance to compete in the most prestigious events," he said.

Only if players in the top 16 were unable to enter a Grand Slam event, for instance due to injury, would the world ranked 17 and below be given an opportunity to play.

This would differ from the World Cup, which is invitational and so includes some unseeded players, such as women's singles shuttlers Takako Ida of Japan, who is not in the top 16, and Judith Meulendijks of the Netherlands, who is not even in the top 25.

Indian men's singles player Gopichand was also invited to compete although he is not in the top 16. (yan)