(Reporter Kim Hwan, Xports News) Chinese media is hopeful that if the 15-point system announced by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) is newly introduced, it may be advantageous for Chinese players.
The reason is that in preparation for the introduction of the 15-point system in the Chinese Badminton Super League, the league was played with a 15-point system in advance, and Wang Ziyi has already adapted to the 15-point system through the league. In fact, Wang Ziyi revealed through Chinese media that at first there were some difficult situations because the game was played in an unfamiliar way, but that he gradually adapted over time.
Chinese media outlet ‘Sina Sports’ published an article on the 3rd (Korean time) titled “The 15-point system faces new challenges” and covered the progress of the 15-point game system that BWF revealed at its board of directors meeting on the 2nd.
According to BWF’s announcement, there is a high possibility that badminton matches, which were previously played with a 21-point 3-set system, will be played with a 15-point 3-set system from next year after the general meeting. If the score is tied at 14 points, deuce is applied, and if the score is tied at 20 points, the side that reaches 21 points first wins. This means that the game ends at 21-20 with no more deuces.
BWF explained the reason for pushing for a change in the way the competition is conducted, saying, “As the number of World Tour matches has increased recently, the burden on players participating in the competition has increased.”
‘Sina Sports’ explained that BWF is responding positively to the introduction of the 15-point system, saying, “BWF expects that this system will help maintain the interest and concentration of spectators and protect the health of players by reducing game time and allowing important scores to be reached faster.”
In preparation for this, China, which has already held the 2025-2026 season badminton league with a 15-point system, is cheering. This is because Chinese players who have adapted to the 15-point system are more likely to demonstrate greater competitiveness on the international stage.
In particular, China, which has been consistently weak against Ahn Se-young recently, may expect an opportunity to take Ahn Se-young down from No. 1 in the world rankings. Above all, it is important to note that Chinese badminton star Wang Zhiyi (#2 in the world rankings), who is chasing Ahn Se-young, has already experienced the new system.
Wang Zhiyi said in an interview with Chinese media, “In the first game, I even forgot about the 8-point break (return point), but now I’m getting used to it little by little. When I enter the court, I tell myself to move as quickly as possible.”
First, the 15-point system will be adopted only after passing the BWF general meeting in April next year. There are even predictions that controversy may arise among badminton powerhouses over the adoption of the 15-point system.
Photo = Yonhap News
Reporter Kim Hwan hwankim14@xportsnews.com
