KUALA LUMPUR – Shouldn’t venues that host elite international tournaments be held to a high standard?
At the 2022 Thomas and Uber Cup currently held at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, not only have players been on the receiving end of badminton smashes, but they have also been subjected to less than favourable playing conditions.
During the final Group B match against China, Viktor Axelsen almost injured his right ankle while playing against Lu Guang Zu when he slipped trying to retrieve a shuttle.
“I should have had a pair of roller skates in size 46 and 47.5. It was really slippery,” Axelsen told Danish sport site TV2 Sport.
“Of course, it is the same for everyone, but when you are a little heavy, it is a little difficult to stand firm.
“It’s really dangerous. Luckily, I had warmed up before coming into the court,” he said.
Axelsen added that he just felt a sting in his heel and was not seriously injured.
“It is simply not good that the courts are this slippery.”
Axelsen also said that many other players had complained about the issue, and it has become a topic all around.
“Of course, it is difficult to do something about it in the middle of the tournament, but something has to be done.
“We are such a big sport that we must be able to react to this. It can become really, really dangerous,” he added.
While facing Japan in the group stage closer, Liew Daren required minor medical treatment after landing awkwardly from a jump in the middle of the second set against Kanta Tsuneyama.
Visibly in discomfort after, Daren still managed to muster the strength to keep going.
However, he lost the match 21-16, 22-20.
Meanwhile, nationals doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik’s match against England’s Ben Lane-Sean Vendy was temporarily halted as a door in the arena swung open.
The light that came in was an issue to the national pair as it was distracting during the match.
It took several minutes for the issue to be resolved but eventually the world number seven pair won the match 19-21, 21-15, 21-16.
Malaysia will face India in the quarterfinals tonight at 8pm. – The Vibes, May 12, 2022
