BWF set to introduce grand slams to Super Series tour

THE Badminton World Federation has announced plans to establish three or four grand slam tournaments to re-invigorate the international calendar.

GRAND SLAM: The All England Championships could be promoted to grand slam status under new proposals from the Badminton World Federation (Alex Roache)

BWF events director Darren Parks insisted the current 12-tournament Super Series format would remain in place with the the executive board meeting to choose the 12 hosts for the 2011 season.   

This season, there are two Super Series events in China and one in each of Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Great Britain, Switzerland, France and Denmark.

But the BWF intend to promote three or four of those tournaments to a higher pedestal with more prize money and exposure in a similar style to golf and tennis' four grand slam events.

And Parks was adamant the increased status of the four selected tournaments would improve the standards at the other events.

"It is still a 12-tournament Super Series but there are three or four that are going to be identified as being the real leading lights.

"We hope that they will drag up the rest. The analogy has often been used that they are the train engine that is pulling the rest of the carriages.

"The focus will be on those so that there will be more support in terms of staff, a better package, a stronger TV package. The ambition is to do that for all 12 but unfortunately, the resource just doesn't stretch that far.

"We want to upgrade and improve them all in terms of their TV production, engagement with the public, introducing players with on-court interviews, live draws and the kind of activity around a tournament that generates media interest."

The 100th All England Championships - the third Super Series of the season - are currently taking place in Birmingham with English mixed doubles pairs Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork as well as Anthony Clark and Heather Olver in quarter final action on Friday night.