Source:REUTERS/Raquel Cunha
[Saba Sports News] 33-year-old Indian badminton star Ashwini Ponnappa is very excited about heading to Jakarta for the XL Badminton Championship. The XL Championship is a 3-on-3 team tournament scheduled to take place from October 31 to November 3. This year’s XL Badminton Championship will implement a new format: each match consists of 4 games lasting 10 minutes each, where players aim to score as many points as possible. Ashwini believes that XL is a “fun badminton event” before Halloween that can help heal her tearful nightmare from being eliminated at the Paris Olympics and reignite her love for badminton. It is noted that 3-on-3 matches are usually a training mode for badminton, allowing players to relax while also improving their reaction speed. However, at the XL Championship, the 3-on-3 format will be conducted as an official team competition. Before the Paris Olympics, Ashwini was invited to participate in the tournament and immediately agreed. Besides Ashwini, former Olympic doubles champion Greysia Polii from Indonesia will also participate in the XL Championship. Ashwini expressed that Greysia Polii is her idol and hopes they can meet in the finals of the XL Championship.