OKBET JAPAN OPEN
OKBET Japan Open, Kidambi Srikanth of India won in straight games against world number four Lee Zii Jia, while Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen was knocked out in the first round of the Japan Open Super 750 competition here on Wednesday.
Srikanth, a former world number one, came back from an early loss at the OKBET Japan Open World Championships last week to defeat fifth seed Lee 22-20 23-21 in his men’s singles match, which lasted 37 minutes. It was his first victory against the Malaysian in four encounters.
Sen, a bronze medalist at the 2021 OKBET Japan Open World Championships, lost an early game lead to lose 21-18 14-21 13-21 against world number 21 Japanese Kenta Nishimoto in his first match. MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila, who surged nine positions to world number 26 after reaching the World Championships quarterfinals, also fell 21-19 21-23 15-21 against the Korean combination of Choi Sol Gyu and Kim Won Ho after losing a match point in the second game.
In other results, Juhi Dewangan and Venkat Gaurav Prasad fell 11-21 10-21 in 23 minutes against Chinese top seed Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong in mixed doubles. It was a tough performance from world number 14 Srikanth at OKBET Japan Open, who is sometimes guilty of failing to finish off tight matches despite putting in all the effort in building up the points.
On Wednesday, Srikanth found himself in a similar situation when he nearly blew a 15-11 lead by enabling Lee to secure three game points, but the Indian kept his nerve to fire off five points in a row to leave his younger foe stranded and clinch the first game. After being stung by the initial game reversal, Lee showed a lot of intent after switching sides. He jumped out to a 2-0 lead early on and had a one-point lead at the half.
Lee increased his pace to 14-11, but Srikanth quickly turned the tables to take an 18-16 lead and then stood only two points away from a 20-18 victory at OKBET Japan Open. There seemed to be another twist in the narrative when Lee saved two match points and gained himself a game point, but Srikanth made sure there were no glitches by pocketing the crucial three points to end the Malaysian’s run.
In the other singles, Lakshya was by far the superior player in the first game, swiftly building a 7-2 lead and jumping to 15-9 at one point before easily pocketing the game. The Indian also got off to a terrific start in the second, taking an 8-4 lead, but he quickly lost control as Nishimoto delivered a remarkable fightback, winning 9 of the next 10 points to surge back into the battle at OKBET Japan Open.
The tide abruptly switched as Lakshya seemed lost, even as Nishimoto controlled from the opening to maintain his lead until the Indian fell in the final. HS Prannoy progressed to the second round on Tuesday when his opponent, Hong Kong’s Ng ka Long Angus, quit halfway through the first round.
Commonly Asked Badminton Rules Questions
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Ceiling
What is the bare minimum for a badminton court?
The rules of badminton do not specify a minimum height for a court, although it should be high enough so that clears and high serves in singles do not touch the ceiling.
So, in badminton, what happens if the shuttlecock hits the ceiling?
There is no set regulation for what occurs if a shuttlecock hits the ceiling; it varies per club. Hitting fixtures such as lights or basketball equipment is usually a let and the point is replayed, however hitting the ceiling itself is a fault. In matches, the host team should state their exact regulations from the outset.
Service
In a badminton match, who serves first?
It is common practice at most clubs to determine who serves first by throwing the shuttlecock into the air. Whichever side the shuttlecock is pointing to is the first to go. However, the rules state that the decision is determined by a coin flip, which is how professional matches are decided.
How can you know whether your opponent is ready to be served?
A player is deemed ready after their racket is up, they have stopped moving, and they have established eye contact with the server.
Can I serve again if I miss the shuttlecock when I try?
- No, strictly speaking. The rules state that attempting to serve and missing the shuttlecock constitutes a fault:
- 9.1.9 The server must not miss the shuttle while trying to serve.
When you serve, if the shuttlecock contacts the top of the net but falls within the service area, is this a “let” and the service is replayed?
The server would win the point in this case since it is not a let when the shuttlecock touches the net at any moment throughout the game, including the serve. The sole exception is if the shuttlecock becomes entangled in the net; see below for the regulations in this case.
Is it a fault if the frame of the racket hits the shuttlecock rather than the strings during serving?
It is OK to strike the frame with a serve as long as you just hit the shuttlecock once and do not hook or scoop the shuttle.
Can you stand on the sidelines while serving in doubles?
- The service court in doubles is extended to the sides, so you may serve from there as long as you are not standing on the outside sideline:
- 9.1.2 The server and receiver must stand inside diagonally opposing service courts (Diagram A) without touching the service courts’ border lines.
Can two players be on the same court at the same time while receiving a serve?
Yes, as long as the receiver’s companion does not obscure the server’s view of the receiver:
9.5 During the delivery of service in doubles, the partners may assume any posture inside their respective courts that does not obscure the opposing server or receiver.
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