The first BWF World Junior Championships to be conducted under the 3 x 15 scoring system took off on Monday, with players, coaches and onlookers curious on how things would unfold.
Players coming off court had one word to describe the scoring system: “Intense”.
Among the closest matches of the day was Sri Lanka’s Thidasa Weragoda beating Malaysia’s Lim Boon Le. Weragoda recovered from a pasting in the first game to force a decider; at match point he had an open court with Lim at his mercy, only to drive the shuttle long and bury his head in his hands. Both players were bent over with exhaustion, but the Sri Lankan kept his wits about him, saved one match point, and then capitalised on his opportunities for a 4-15 15-8 17-15 victory.
“It means a lot, it’s the first time I’m winning a round at the World Juniors, so I’m really happy,” said Weragoda.
“It’s my first time playing the 3×15. Although it’s just 15 points, it is just as tiring, because it is intense. It’s just as difficult. In terms of speed you have to endure the pain while playing at that same pace.”
USA’s mixed doubles pair Tian Qi Zhang and Audrey Chang, despite winning their match in just 13 minutes, looked winded when they came off court.
Audrey Chang
“If you don’t start the game hot and on fire, right away you’re going to struggle and it becomes hard to come back. So this forces you to be ready the moment you step on court,” said Zhang.
Zhang said it helped that they had played the Suhandinata Cup last week in which the relay scoring system was used, with each player or player playing to nine points,
“The nine points was like a little preview. But this is different. The 3 x 15 is longer, but you start at 0, and you have to be ready right away. A lot of it is about mentality. Earlier, you had a few points to come back and you don’t have a cushion.
“It’s more physically demanding. Every point you go 100 per cent focus.”
While most contestants were trying out the 3 x 15 for the first time, a few, like Singapore’s Aaliyah Zakariah, had experienced it at the Czech International Future Series 2025 in June.
Aaliyah Zakariah
“I like it because it’s such a mind game. You have to play faster and reduce mistakes; your heart rate is up all the time. I told myself to play without feeling nervous,” said the Singaporean.
Singapore coach Kelvin Ho pointed out that succeeding under this system required a nuanced approach.
“You should control the tempo, so in that sense it’s similar to the 21 point system,” Ho said. “We do see some players play fast. It’s a lot in the head. This will be a good process for players to grow up. I tell my players not to panic.”
For now, the consensus is that the immediate preparation before a match could prove critical.
Romanian coach Christopher Niusa Pound observed that the top teams were already adapting.
“When I see Indonesia, China or Malaysia, they’re playing hard on the warm-up courts, so they get into the flow as soon as they step on court.”
Pound thinks that since badminton has always been about speed, the 3 x 15 will serve to highlight this aspect at a more intense level.
“The game becomes aggressive and fast, so for spectators it becomes more engaging and high pace and very exciting. You can see that the players are on the offensive from the beginning. Maybe this could lead to even greater interest in the game.”
BWF Newsletter
