Badminton: Auckland's badminton event tries new points system for the world

Kiwis Oliver Leydon-Davies and Kevin Dennerly-Minturn are the top seeds for the men's doubles.

The Auckland International badminton tournament will be used as a guinea pig, testing a new points system for the first time.

The tournament, starting tomorrow, is also the start of a three-month trial in which the sport will shift from a best of three sets, first-to-21 points system to best of five and first to 11 points.

Every point will count, instead of only those scored when a player is serving.

Also gone is the rule under which at 20-all, a player must win by two points. Instead, at 10-all the next point will win the set.

The total number of points in a match drops from 42 in a straight sets win to 33 over three games.

"The new scoring should be positive for the game", leading New Zealand player Kevin Dennerly-Minturn said.

"It will mean every point has a higher value which should lift the intensity and interest for spectators. It should build more aggressive players and puts pressure on players to start better."

The World Badminton Federation wants to speed the game up and create more exciting moments.

It carries on a theme of innovation in New Zealand sport. The recently completed National Hockey League made the first use of 15-minute quarters rather than 35-minute halves.

Most of New Zealand's top players will take part in the Fernbaby-sponsored International, which follows the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the world championships, which finished in on August 31 in Copenhagen.

The Auckland event is a level-four event, with a prize purse of US$5000 ($6130).

It has attracted a quality field from 11 countries.

Motivation is high for Dennerly-Minturn, who with Oliver Leydon-Davis is top seed for the men's doubles event.

He missed playing in Glasgow because of an untimely virus.

"We have won this tournament before in 2012 and are keen to play well here again to improve our ranking with an eye towards the Rio Olympics," he said.

Chinese Taipei up-and-coming 17-year-olds Chia Hung Lu (men) and Chia Hsin Lee (women) head the singles seedings.

Auckland International
• The Auckland championships begin at Gillies Ave tomorrow afternoon, and continue from Friday morning.
• Quarter-finals are on Saturday morning, semifinals 5pm that afternoon and the finals are on Sunday from 11am.