PETALING JAYA: The 11-point rally scoring format that was used during the mixed team event of the World Junior Championships in Nanchang, China, should be discarded.
The mixed team ended with Indonesia beating China on Saturday while Malaysia and Japan ended with the bronze medals.
The World Badminton Federation (BWF) are only experimenting with the new format in the mixed team as they will revert to the original 21x3 for the individual competition starting today.
Former international Ong Ewe Hock hopes the 11-point rally scoring over 10-match per tie will not be used anymore.
“It’s not a system suitable for a premier world junior event like this. If it’s for fun or for branding purpose, then, it should be okay to try it out,” said Ewe Hock.
“I’m okay for 11x5 or even 9x3 with service overs to try out in junior events. Then, the seniors can try. For now, I’m just glad that the individual world junior event will use the 21x3 format again,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the draw released for the individual competition starting today, Malaysia’s top singles junior Mohd Faiq Masawi has received a kind draw in his quarter.
There are no Chinese players in his quarter, but he may have to overcome Bartosz Punko of Indonesia to reach the last eight.
The other boys’ singles in the fray are Sng Wei Ming, Kong Zhou Swin, and Ayu Fu Sheng.
Malaysia probably have a better chance to go far in the tournament in the boys’ doubles through Kang Khai Xing-Aaron Tai, who had been given the top billing.
Barring any upsets, they are expected to meet second seeds Hu Keyuan-Lin Xiangyi of China in the final. The spoilers are set to be Indonesia’s Anselmus Breagit-Pulung Ramadhan (third seeds) and China’s Chen Yongrui-Chen Zhehan (fourth seeds).
Khai Xing-Aaron will be joined by Faiq-Lok Hong Quan (12th seeds) and Loh Ziheng-Tan Zhiyang.
Eng Ler Qi is the only seeded player in the girls’ singles at 16th but one should not discount Ong Xin Yee for her good showing in the mixed team event. Xin Yee is however, seeded fifth in the girls’ doubles with Carmen Ting, and should reach at least the quarter-finals.
In the mixed doubles, none of the Malaysians are seeded but Datu Anif Isaac Datu Asrah-Dania Sofea are expected to ruffle some feathers if their determination is anything to go by.
