Players say Grand Slam must offer many points

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)