Rexy wants BWF to scrap notional ranking

Badminton news
Disgruntled Rexy wants BWF to scrap notional ranking

Rexy: "Kien Keat-Boon Heong are top ranked players so it makes sense if they are seeded...but Sigit-Frans are nowhere in the Super Series ranking or the BWF's world ranking."

KUALA LUMPUR: National doubles coach Rexy Mainaky hopes the Badminton World Federation (BWF) will get their act right – as far as the draws for the men's doubles of the Super Series events are concerned.

Rexy felt that the BWF should either do away or review the notional ranking that allows a new doubles pair to get a place in the main draw of the Super Series.

Under the notional ranking system, the results of individual players with their previous partners are taken into account before a new pair is ranked.

For the upcoming All-England, Indonesia's new combination of Sigit Budiarto-Fran Kurniawan, who are not even ranked in the top 300, managed to get a place in the main draw.

Malaysia's Chan Chong Ming-Hoon Thien How, who are also without a ranking in the world standings, competed in the main draw of the first two Super Series at Malaysia and South Korea respectively.

The Indonesian said he did not understand the rationale behind BWF's decision to use the notional ranking.

“They want the best players in the world to compete in the Super Series but they give an advantage to players who do not even have a world ranking.

“It is understandable if both Sigit and Fran had a high world ranking with their former partners but that is not the case either.

“BWF should either use the world rankings or even use the Super Series rankings to determine the qualifiers for the Super Series event. This notional ranking should be scrapped,” he said.

On world number 32, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong,who had been surprisingly seeded eighth in the All-England, Rexy said: “Based on the Super Series ranking (based on the points achieved at the Malaysian and Korean Opens), Kien Keat-Boon Heong are the top ranked players. So it makes sense if they are seeded based on their true strength.

“But Sigit-Fran are nowhere in sight of the Super Series ranking or the BWF's world ranking,” he said.

Asian Games champion Kien Keat-Boon Heong will take on Sigit-Fran in the opening round of the All-England.

Meanwhile, BWF general manager P. Ganga Rao said the notional rankings would be looked into at the next exco meeting during the Sudirman Cup in Scotland in May.

“The reason for this notional rankings system is to recognise the strength of the players who form new partnerships. We wanted to avoid these pairs from meeting other top pairs in the early rounds,” said Ganga.
Written by The Star Online