This is an excellent idea. the flat plate can be made of a very light weight composite attached to a vertical member which can be moved to anywher the SJ wants it placed for each different server location. All you need is another horizontal plate on the bottom of the vertical member, so when it is placed on the floor the vertical member is a true vertical member. I truly believe this is the fairest way to provide across the board justice to all players. Because this is the only law in the Laws of Badminton that is based on the size of the individual player. There really is no reason for it to be based on the height of the player. It should be the same for all the players. This eliminates the SJ's work load tremendously, and should improve the SJ's calls just because of that. SJ doesn't have to watch the shuttle's trajectory, racket orientation, or where the server's waist is. All he has to do is check the feet and whether contact with the shuttle is above or below the plate.
In my opinion the picture says nothing about the serve. 1. This is the moment before the serve is executed (preparation phase) and only the moment when racket hits the shuttle counts. 2. This is the picture only (2D). The difference between the waist level and hitting point is affected by the camera angle. Just like pictures of jumping players. With the appropriate angle you can get the jump looking like a 1 meter high. About the discussion on the ZYW serve. There were so many harsh words said about umpires. I would prefer to have some in-depth analysis of the case before jumping into any conclusion. This concerns also TV replays of that match. A few other comments that come into my mind: 1. The rules are slightly changed in favor of the players staring from this season. This concerns racket head faults. 2. According to the rules, line judge can be replaced. Service judge cannot. 3. It is normal thing that umpire and service judge communicate during the match and breaks. They help each other this way. 4. Based on my experience at international tournaments as service judge there are three types of players: a) Perfect servers – every serve is exactly the same. No faults. b) Awkward servers – the serve is awkward and the hand/racket move is complicated. They try to hide the mistake they do by this awkward move. They constantly “stretch” the rules and almost every serve is about be called fault. Very tiring and stressful to be the service judge for these players. c) Smart servers. They know how to serve well and they know all the rules. They challenge service judge and observe how far they cay stretch the rules. It is very challenging to judge this. I haven’t seen ZYW match but basing on what was written here I think she is the b) player from my list and she had a bad luck to be judged by the very strict service judge. Regards dzgdz
It is good for manufacturers of sport equipment and for judges but what about player? In first turn rules should be easy for players to conform to the rules. Waist is easier for players, 1-meter ruler - for judges.
Nice to see some good sense talked dzgdz. About your point about the rules changing to favour the players. I would have thought so as well, but we seem to be getting more service faults called than before. why is this?
Strictly speaking, you're right. We can only speculate about the height at which he made contact. On the other hand, while I know lots of players who raise the shuttle immediately prior to contact. I don't know many who lower it. I do know some, though, so point taken.
hmm - the point about setting an arbritrary contact point height. i was under the impression that you would like to introduce this to make the service action fair across the board. the simply isn't going to work. you would make it biomechanically impossible for some players to perform a good serve. whatever height was set. you could shuffle it up and down - but you'd end up stopping some people from serving. the waist is a good way to restrict the service action - and i was under the impression that waist had now been defined in IBF rules as the lowest point of the lowest rib? of course we've been here before many times. umpires get grief because it's hard to tell where this line is.. then umpires give the players grief for trying to bend the rules. then of course fans give umpires and players grief dependant on whether their team lost or not or whether their team was wronged by an umpire. coops
bring back the 15 point system this rediculous service call gives one more reason to bring back the 15 point scoring system. To me, a point earned by service fault versus hard fought rally should not be the same. So if this is a 15 point scoring system, the player would simply loose the serve and would not loose the point. Otherwise, with the same service judge, my grandma can win the world championship, she just have to stand there and do nothing and she would win points.
Of course there are certain advantages and disadvantages because of the build and size of one's physique. For example a shorter player may have to jump higher to execute a smash similar to a player who doesn't have to jump at all or jump a shorter height. Similarly a very short player, it may be bio mechanically impossible to make a straight down smash from the mid court as would be by a taller player. But, because of these no body is saying having a constant height net is a problem or unfair. Also, for a very tall person serving with all other serving regulations met, and requiring the shuttle to go in an upward motion may then can be considered unfair also. Because the shuttle may be too high at the net and it will be available for an immediate kill by the receiver. I really don't think making the max contact point height of the shuttle at three and a half feet or four feet (or whatever the optimum height) from the floor would make it impossible to make a legal serve by taller players. May be, there could be a visible line pulled between the net poles to indicate this height which may also help the players see the regulation height during the service. This kind of an exact height limitation may also make it very easy to judge the serves using a video system. With the current system, how do you know where the bottom of the player's lower rib is without taking the player's shirt off and inspecting his ribs? I mean a point scored depends on this judgment call by the SJ. While all the other 'faults' in the Laws of Badminton being so well defined and exact, this looks like a very silly and non-exact rule to be in the Laws of Badminton, and very difficult one to enforce also.
Before international tournaments playes pass dopping tests, don't it? I think measurement of the lowest rib before match is more pleasant Setting fixed height you give advantage the player who biometrically can serve just before him - it is the most sutiable position for precise service. The tall man has to keep hands down and presicion will be very poor. P.S. I'm tall and worry about other tall players
Nice to talk to you again James The change was done only in respect of one type of fault - racket head. Now it is just enough to have the racket (shaft) directed down (not necessary vertically - just not horizontally). The rules re other faults remain unchanged. More service faults? - If this is a real case I can think of only one answer - more strict service judging. regards dzgdz
This thread started by the situation where Zhang Yawen being called 11 times during a single two game match. She is only 5 feet tall. Do you think the current system makes it difficult (bio mechanically) for very short players to serve accurately? They have been faced with this unfair disadvantage for a very long time. Don't you think it is time that it stop? What is the maximum height where an average tall player contact the shuttlecock in a legal serve under the current system? Or, where is his bottom rib relative to the floor? Four feet? Well, let's set the mark there. The issue is not where it is set, could the defined rule be enforced fairly across the board consistently. We all know the current system is a miserable failure. If it is such a rule that can't be enforced why keep that rule? Talk to any umpire; including IBF umpires, they will tell you this is the one and only rule that gets abused by both players and umpires the most. Just think there is one umpire on the court just dedicated for this function; still he can't make this call in a fair manner. Shouldn't that be changed? I am sorry if I am repeating myself. So, this most probably is the last posting from me on this subject. By the way not many players get tested for doping, only a hand full of players picked randomly get tested for doping; many international competitions do not have any doping tests at all.
I don't think so. I believe she can serve ACCURATELY but it may be NOT EFFECTIVELY. And I also think that due to short height she might play on the net except service much-much more effective then tall. Hmm, seems I begin to repeat. I'm agree on four feet
Has there been a match where it was ended by a service fault? Hypothetical championship match...rubber game and score is 20-19. Player trailing, serve and commit one of those Zhang Yawen service fault serve. Will the Line Judge dare to call a fault?
