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(Photo: BadmintonPhoto)
The player’s favourite
Date: 3/12/2018 4:02 PM
Published by : Tom Leonard
Next week, the 2018 BWF World Tour lands in Birmingham for the prestigious Yonex All England Open. From 14 – 18 March, the world’s best players will be tested by the new service rule while playing in one the oldest tournament’s on the tour inside the Arena Birmingham.
 
The tournament is a favourite amongst the players, with sell-out crowds, chants and flags drowning the arena every year. The vibrant and energetic atmosphere around the badminton courts is matched with shops, stalls, product trials and competitions around the foyer where you’re almost guaranteed to bump into a player from the tour – have your pens and cameras ready.
 
Crowds will be cherishing the thought of Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan meeting in the Quarter final – the pair will begin the tournament in the same section, making the match a definite possibility. Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen will be looking to smash their way to a third All England title and Spanish superstar Carolina Marín will be looking to repeat her record-run back in 2015 - the year that she won the Yonex All England, followed by four more Super Series Titles in that year alone.
 
Meanwhile, homegrown player Jessica Pugh is excited to play in her first main draw at the event - playing with Ben Lane in the Mixed Doubles and Chloe Birch in the Women’s Doubles. Jess and Ben signed off 2017 in style when defeating compatriots Lauren Smith and Marcus Ellis in the Italian International last December. Currently, the pair come in at 38 in the world rankings – could this be their chance to climb higher than their career best of 26? Rapid improvements in their game and numerous wins throughout the last year have allowed the pair to escape qualification for the first time:
 
“It’s my first main draw at the All England, so I’m super happy about that as there’s no qualifying anymore which shows good improvements in a year…The All England is my favourite tournament of the world tour, so I’m really excited to play especially with close family and friends coming to watch!” said Jess.
 
This is one of the first tournaments to experiment with the new service rule. Fortunately, it hasn’t had as much of an impact on her game:
 
“The new service rule hasn’t changed for me, if anything it’s a bit better because I can serve with lots more variety now as I’m only 164cm tall anyway. I know for other taller players, they’re not too happy with the changes but I think it’s a good addition to the game as it means everyone is on a level playing field…It will be very interesting to see some new techniques!”.
 
Expect to see plenty of controversy as players adapt to the new rule. But most of all, prepare for exhilarating entertainment, fast-paced reactions and an electric atmosphere throughout the week!
 
Find out more information about the Yonex All England 2018 and a breakdown of the draw here.
 
Buy your tickets here.

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