The All England Badminton Open Badminton Championship is the oldest and most prestigious badminton tournament in the World. The World’s best players compete in England every year to win the highly coveted title. It is played since a time when Badminton was not included as an Olympic sport so winning the All England was as good as winning the Olympic title.
Also Read: History of Badminton: All you need to know
History
The All England was developed after the first-ever badminton Open Championships 1899 at Guildford, England. However, it included only men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. In the following year, the singles events were added. The first two tournaments were named- Badminton Association Tournament.
Notably, the All England Open was considered to be the highest level badminton tournament before the International Badminton Federation(IBF) launched the Badminton World Championship in 1977.
In 1984, Yonex stepped in as the official sponsor of the tournament. Since then it is known as the Yonex All England Badminton Championships.
In its long history, the Championships have not taken place only twice due to World War I (1915 to 1919) and World War II (1940 to 1946).
In 2007, the championships were introduced in the BWF Super Series event and later progressed into the BWF Super Series Premier event category in 2011.
Prize Money
The Prize money for the All England Open Badminton Championships 2021 is USD 850,000. It will be played at the Utilita Arena Birmingham, in Birmingham, England.
The Championship is a BWF Grade 2 1000 points Super Series Premier tournament which is the highest level of badminton tournaments organized by the BWF.
It is not the prize money that attracts shuttlers to the competition, instead, it is the credibility, fame, and recognition that the title offers.
Top Performing Country
The host country, England is the top-performing nation at the Championship winning 189.5 titles across all categories till 2020. It is followed by Denmark and China.
Maximum Titles won at the All England Open
India at the All England Open
- Shri Prakash Nath- Runner-Up(1947)
- Prakash Padukone- Winner (1980), Runner-Up(1981)
- Pullela Gopichand-Winner(2001)
- Saina Nehwal-Runner-Up(2015)
Badminton Court: Size, Height, and all you need to know
There are predominantly various types of badminton courts around the world that use different types of flooring. However, most commonly a badminton court is laid on a wooden surface with synthetic flooring on top of it.
Over the past few years, badminton has witnessed tremendous growth in its infrastructure with various exquisite courts being developed in many cities. The prime function of a badminton court is to provide a proper grip and cushioning to badminton players as various movements are involved in the game.
Also read: Types of Badminton Courts: A comprehensive guide
Therefore, it is very important to maintain and play on a good badminton court to avoid injuries and for better performance. In general, a badminton court is used for both, singles and doubles but the court criteria for both categories are different. Take a look at a detailed overview of badminton courts.
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What is the size of a badminton court?
As per the Badminton World Federation(BWF) guidelines, the size of a badminton court is 20 ft x 44 ft (6.1 m x 13.4 m), extending an area of 880 ft2 (81.75 m2).
The diagonal length of the court is 14.723 m (48.30 ft) and the lines are marked 40 mm (1.57 inch) wide with either white/yellow to make it more visible.
The length of the court remains the same for both singles and doubles, but the difference is in the width of the court in both categories.
Further, the court is divided into two halves measuring 6.7m(22ft) each, separated by the badminton net. These two halves on each side are further divided by a centerline, forming the service courts. Overall, a badminton court has four service courts of dimensions, 3.96m (13 ft) * 2.59m (8.5 ft)
Moreover, the badminton court has two service lines,
- Short Service line: 1.98m (6.5 ft) from the net
- Long Service line for doubles: 0.76m (2.5ft) from the back boundary line
Other Lines:
- Side-Line for Singles: 1.5 feet or 0.457 meters from the doubles sideline
- Side-Line for Doubles: Outermost line of the width of the court
- Back Boundary Line/ Long Service Line for Singles: Outermost line of the length of the court
What is the difference between Singles and Doubles Badminton Court?
In the singles court, the width runs wide extending till 5.18m (17 ft), which is denoted by the sidelines. However, the width of the doubles court is extended to 6.1m (20 ft), known as doubles sidelines. The length of the court is the same in both singles and doubles.
Singles Court: 20 ft x 44 ft (6.1 m x 13.4 m)
Doubles Court: 20 ft x 44 ft (6.1 m x 13.4 m),
In singles, the service has to land on or beyond the short service line and before the back boundary line within the sideline for singles. However, the service length is shorter in doubles in where the service has to land on or beyond the short service line and not beyond the long service line for doubles.
What is the height of the Badminton Net?
According to the BWF, a badminton net should be 1.55m (5ft 1in) high at the ends and dips to 1.524m (5 ft) in the middle of the court. The net posts have to be 1.5 m (5 ft) long and should be placed over the doubles sidelines even when singles are played. Moreover, the dimensions of the badminton net are 20 ft x 2.49 ft (6.1 m x 0.76 m). The other specifications include-
- The net should be made of fine cord of dark color and even thickness between 15-20mm.
- A 75mm white tape should be edged over the top of the new doubled over a cord/cable running through it to connect it to the post.
What is the height of the Badminton Court?
According to the BWF, the height of the ceiling of the badminton court for major International tournaments like the Olympics, and Grade 1 tournaments, should be a minimum of 12 meters from the ground of the court.
For other BWF tournaments, the minimum height from the floor over the full court should be 9 meters. Consequently, every country has its laid-down it own height specification. For example, in India, the court should be 9m in height as per the Badminton Association of India.
15 Health Benefits of Playing Badminton
Badminton is one of the most popular sports in the World and offers wide areas of health benefits. It is a sport that is widely played by men and women of all ages, sizes, and skill levels. So if you are looking for better well-being, playing badminton will help you achieve that. Therefore, I have compiled a few social and health benefits, badminton offers for your physical as well as mental well-being.
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#1 Weight Loss
Playing badminton helps in effective weight loss and improving metabolism. Badminton involves running, jumping, lunging, and hitting which aids in calorie burn. Moreover, as per results, playing badminton for 1 hour helps to reduce approximately 450 calories. However, a proper diet is required to achieve your desired results.
#2 Improves Heart Conditions
Playing badminton is very beneficial for people with heart conditions. It strengthens the heart muscles, which reduces hypertension and clogging of blood vessels. Also, it reduces your triglyceride levels and increases good cholesterol in your blood.
Moreover, it also helps people who do not have any heart problems. Adequate badminton practice improves blood circulation in the body as anaerobic/aerobic energy is used which improves blood circulation and facilitates calorie burn.
#3 Focus & Concentration
A badminton game involves the exchange of a shuttlecock between the opponents. One has to focus on the game to be able to try and reach every shuttle and win the point. This helps to improve your focus and concentration overall.
#4 Movement
Playing badminton activates almost all muscles of your body. From the calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, biceps, and more, all these muscles are used to play the sport. This helps to avoid immobilization and reduce the chances of overweight, muscle weakness, and slow reflexes problems.
#5 Improves the Cardiovascular System
Badminton helps to improve your cardiovascular system by improving the level of your VO2 max. This leads to higher endurance levels which aid in better performance throughout the day.
#6 Reduce/ Eliminate the risk of Diabates
Badminton reduces the risk of diabetes by decreasing the production of sugar by the liver. Well, this applies to any form of exercise you do not only specifically badminton. Maintaining a proper fitness regime reduces the chances of diabetes.
#7 Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Any form of exercise helps release and increase the endorphins level, the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters. This helps to improve your overall wellbeing, mood, and also sleep.
#8 Bone Density
Badminton promotes the growth of the cells which makes your bones. This helps to increase your bone strength which thereby, improves your performance.
#9 Muscles Development
As I said earlier, badminton requires a lot of physical actions which are possible by using various muscles of our body. Eventually, playing the sport regularly helps to tone and strengthen the muscles of the body.
#10 Social well-being
Racket sports like badminton help to develop social connections with other people by playing doubles/mixed doubles/singles. This can help to extend lift longevity by as long as nine years.
Also read: Badminton Drills: 15 drills to improve your game
#11 Improves Reflexes
A sport like badminton requires strong reflexes as several shots like smash, drop, lift ad more are used to play the game. One needs to be physically and mentally active to receive a shot and consequently decide which shot to execute next.
#12 Cleanses the body
In general, every sporting/fitness activity helps the sweating process in the human body which eventually leads to releasing various toxins from the body.
#13 Balance and Coordination
Badminton requires a lot of movement on the court like side running, back running, sprints, and more. This helps to improve the balance and coordination of different movements.
#14 Positive Attitude
Badminton is a competitive as well as a recreational sport. It gives you a certain amount of satisfaction and happiness after playing a match or two with your friends or family and this helps you maintain a positive attitude throughout the day.
#15 Love for the Sport
When you start enjoying the sport, your body starts improving and it becomes a part of your daily routine. This helps you to be consistent in your practice for overall health development.
PSM’s ‘Become A Coach’ Program: A Guided Program to become a Badminton Coach
The Padukone Sports Management (PSM) has come up with a unique beginner-level program/course to train badminton enthusiasts to become certified badminton coaches. This is one of the very first private coaching certification setup for badminton in a country that has witnessed a tremendous rise in popularity of badminton over the years but lacks in efficient number of coaches for the same.
Also read: How Indian Badminton players have invested in the Sport?
What is the ‘Become a Coach Program’?
Started in 2019, this program is a beginner-level coach program offered by Padukone Sports Management under the supervision of Prakash Padukone, who is the founder and director of the company.
The program offers a combination of technical plus soft skills development which are important prerequisites for a badminton coach. Moreover, it equips the trainees with the knowledge and expertise required to become a successful badminton coach.
Image Source: https://www.instagram.com/padukonesportsmanagement/
Program Details
Online Course:
Days: 11 days
Time: 2 hours per session
Fees: INR 8000
Offline Course:
Days: 1 week(approx)
Fees: INR 21,000-22,000(approx)
Key Features of the Program
- The basic training program will be suitable for an individual to become a badminton coach at the school level and eventually progress into state-level coaching.
- The Program is based on the BWF Level 1 plus Shuttle Time module along with the experience of the dedicated team.
- It can be completed online/offline depending on your requirement.
What does the Program Offer?
The Program follows a systematic and detailed structure that includes all prerequisites to become a successful badminton coach.
- A mixture of Theory and Demonstration Sessions are structured systematically.
- The Coaches are physically trained to the fitness requirement so the sport.
- Basic Education on Sports Nutrition
- An Exciting Opportunity to interact with badminton legends like Prakash Padukone and Vimal Kumar.
- Coaches are trained for First-Aid and Injury Management.
- In the end, a certificate of completion is offered to the coach.
Team
- Narendra Ubhayakar- Senior Technical Consultant
- Balachandran T R- Course Coordinator
- Aditya Prakash- PSM Head Coach
- Dr. Mohnish Sharma- Physiotherapist
Upcoming Badminton Coach Training Online Program
Date: 22 March to 2 April, 2021
Time: 11:30 am to 1:30pm
Fees: INR 8000
For Registration or to know more details, click here.
Most Successful Shuttlers at Summer Olympics
Since the inclusion of Badminton as a medal Sport at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, it has grown to be one of the most entertaining sports at the Summer Olympics. Over the years, badminton’s Olympic era has given birth to new star players, both men, and women. With the Tokyo Olympics to kick off within a few months, let’s take a look at the badminton legends who have won maximum medals at the Summer Olympic Games.
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#8 Lin Dan (China)
Medals: 2 Gold
Lin Dan, also known as ‘Super Dan’ is the greatest men’s singles player so far in Olympic history earning two back-to-back titles at the Olympics. With successive Olympic golds at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games, he became the first men’s singles player to defend his Olympic title.
#7: Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia)
Medals: 3 Silver
The only shuttler to win consecutive silver titles, Lee Chong Wei’s desperate quest for an Olympic gold fell short three times in a row. At the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 edition of the Summer Olympics, he was denied the title by his arch-rival, Lin Dan. Later, at the 2016 Rio Olympics, he was defeated by Chen Long in the final settling for his third Olympic silver.
Also read: Top Comebacks in Badminton
#6: Gil Young Ah (Korea)
Medals: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Gil Young Ah has won every level of an Olympic medal. Her first medal came at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, where she won a bronze in women’s doubles along with Shim Eun-Jung.
Eventually, she picked up her maiden Olympic gold at the very next 1996 Atlanta Olympics in mixed doubles with Kim Dong-moon. She also won a silver medal in women’s doubles together with Jang Hye-ock in the same Summer Olympics edition.
#5 Kim Dong Moon (Korea)
Medals: 2 Gold, 1 Bronze
Kim Dong Moon captured the world’s attention when he won a gold medal at the 1996 Athens Olympics with Gil Young Ah. This was followed by a bronze medal in men’s doubles at the 2000 Atlanta Olympic Games.
Kim’s second Olympic gold came 8 years later at the 2004 Athens Olympics in men’s doubles with partner, Ha Tae Kwon. Notably, he is the only Korean badminton player to win two Olympic gold medals.
#4 Zhang Nan (China)
Medals: 2 Gold, 1 Bronze
Zhang Nang is one of the most versatile badminton players who specialize in men’s doubles as well as mixed doubles. In his debut at the 2012 London Olympics, he earned his maiden Olympic Gold in mixed doubles with his partner, Zhao Yunlei.
The Chinese pair went on to win their second Olympic medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where they settled for a bronze. However, Zhang found success by winning Olympic gold in men’s doubles with the doubles legendary player, Fu Haifeng.
#3 Yunlei Zhao – China
Medals: 2 Gold, 1 Bronze
Yunlei Zhao is the first-ever badminton player to win two gold medals in the same Olympic edition. She achieved this feat at the 2012 London Olympics where she won in the women’s doubles and mixed doubles event. Later, in the 2016 Rio Olympics, she settled for a bronze in the mixed doubles category.
#2 Fu Haifeng (China)
Medals: 2 Gold, 1 Silver
Considered to be the greatest men’s doubles player in badminton history, Fu Haifeng competed in the Olympic Games three times along with partner Cai Yun. After losing in the quarterfinals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, the duo steeled for silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The void for an Olympic Gold was filled at the 2012 London Olympics, where the duo defeated Denmark’s pair of Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen in the finals.
Fu then partnered with Zhang Nan to defend his title at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.
#1 Gao Ling (China)- Most successful Shuttler at the Summer Olympics
Medals- 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Gao Ling is the most successful shuttler in the Summer Olympic history earning four medals, the highest by any shuttler. The Chinese shuttler is one of the most celebrated and successful doubles players in the history of women’s badminton.
She along with her partner, Zhang Jun won consecutive gold medals (Sydney 2000 & Athens 2004) at the Olympics in the mixed doubles category.
However, she did not earn a gold medal in women’s doubles settling for bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Unfortunately, the veteran lost the first round of mixed doubles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Tai Tzu Ying: Racket, Shoes, and String
Tai Tzu Ying is one of the greatest women’s badminton players the World has seen. Notably, she holds the record as World no. 1 for most weeks in BWF history. She is one of the most skilled badminton players in the World known for her exquisite deceptive style of play. Do you know which equipment Tai Tzu Ying uses? Well, read this article to know about her Racket, Shoes, and String.
Also Read: Tai Tzu Ying: Five Best Performances of her career
Racket- Victor Thruster F Claw II (White)
Tai Tzu Ying uses the Victor Thruster F Claw II Badminton Racket since 2018. It is a singles-oriented badminton racket that is aimed to deliver more power to your shots along with incredible flexibility and comfort with its REBOUND SHIELD. The comfortable hitting experience makes it the best choice for Tai.
The Anti-Torsion slim shaft increases the strength by more than 4 times giving more stable and accurate hits. Instead of NANO FORTIFY TR, the racket frame is made up of PYROFIL to provide greater resilience and shock absorption. It’s an outstanding attacking racket with its relocated balance point (295 to 300mm) and the increased swing weight (83 to 84kg*cm2).
Tai Tzu Ying Shoes – Victor P9200II
The Victor P9200II is Tai Tzu Ying’s official badminton shoes. It is from the stability series and is upgraded with both, comfort and protection to the feet. While the heels are built with NEO DUPLEX, the shock-absorbing cushion is upgraded with E-TPU. This aids in better shock absorption and swift movement around the court.
The inner toe uses special technology for better strength and durability. Moreover, the lateral stability system is upgraded with the LS-S Shell Technology which has a supportive TPU integrated into the outer midsole layer for added stability while landing. These shoes suit Tai Tzu Ying’s unpredictable and varied style of play.
String- VICTOR VBS-66N
Tai Tzu Ying uses the VICTOR VBS-66N string. It is blended with high-technology and wrapped with nylon multifilament. It is based on the latest nanotechnology which gives it better resilience and string control. Overall, it’s a powerful string with great durability.
Click here, to buy it online.