Sindhu unhappy with timing of new service law's implementation

Indian Olympian PV Sindhu has criticised the timing of the implementation of the new service law starting at next year's All England Open Championships.

Earlier, in order to overcome the questionable decisions by service judges, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) had decided to test an Experimental Service Law involving a fixed height for the shuttle from March 1.

According to the new rule of the governing body, the shuttle should be 'below 1.15 metres from the surface of the court at the instant of being hit by the server's racket'.

The first tournament where the new law will be tested is next year's All England Open Championships.

Sindhu said she has no problem with the new rule, but 'it could have been implemented in a different tournament.'

"It could have come in a different tournament instead of all England because that's a very prestigious tournament," the Pullela Gopichand protegee said.

Sindhu added, "So maybe they should have started it from the beginning of the year start itself instead of just putting it in All England. So when it comes to service, we need to learn it, there is no other way."

However, without raising many questions, she said that one has to succumb to the new law as service was the most important feature of a game.

According to the previous service rule, the shuttle should be below one's waist when it is hit.

The BWF has also planned to host a training workshop for umpires in Kuala Lumpur in January regarding the proposed new law.

The proposed new rule, however, is not embraced by all and has its share of critics, including current men's singles world champion Viktor Axelsen.