Source:REUTERS/Jan Huebner
[Saba Sports News] Recently, the BWF announced a new rule: from 2026, players will have 25 seconds to prepare after each point, aiming to speed up the match and reduce delays caused by excessive preparation time. This is intended to provide a more compact and efficient match experience for fans. However, Danish badminton star Anders Antonsen has a different opinion. He believes the rule may force players to start the game on slippery courts, increasing the risk of injury. To gain more rest time, players might also take risky dives to save shots, leading to unpredictable situations on the court. Additionally, he thinks that continuous time compression will affect the quality of the match, as long rallies in badminton consume much more energy than tennis. A 25-second break is too harsh for top male singles players. However, the editor believes that the BWF’s 25-second serve countdown rule is generally a positive move. In tennis, since the implementation of the 25-second serve rule in 2018, delay tactics have been significantly reduced, which provides a reference for the introduction of similar rules in badminton.