(Left to right): PV Sindhu had to play three matches in less than 18 hours, as China's Liu Shengshu appeared exhausted during the women's doubles final at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
\n\nJapan wanted to deliver a cost-effective Asian Games, but instead, it produced a Games of shock and disruption. Accommodation was already a bone of contention before the Games got underway on September 19. Then, a scheduling mess in badminton rocked the sport, putting players' health at risk and raising questions about the very idea of the Games.
\n\nShuttlers were forced to play matches within a short span of time, sometimes two in a day, making the proceeding at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium at Aichi Perfecture unprecedented.
\n\nThe gruelling schedule prompted India's Hangzhou Asian Games bronze medallist HS Prannoy to compare the event to 'South Zone Championship', a regional badminton tournament in India.
\n\nAt regional championships, it is normal for youngsters to play two matches a day with most matches being short in length, and often more if they compete in multiple categories. But such scheduling harakiri is unheard of at major international events, where the matches are longer.
\n\nBadminton is an intense sport in which players experience…
Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/sports
