Sport

Yonex Swiss Open: World-class badminton in Basel

05/02/2018 written by Kevin Lutz
When people think of badminton, they primarily think of a leisure activity - a hobby that everyone in Switzerland prefers to play in parks, swimming pools or in their own garden (ideally in windless conditions). But badminton has long since become a competitive sport in this country too.

Proof enough of this is the Yonex Badminton Swiss Open in Basel. The tournament, which is being held for the 28th time in 2018, is undergoing a number of changes this year. They are all going in the same direction, with the aim of increasing the importance and status of the Swiss Open.

Spectacle is guaranteed at the Yonex Swiss Open in Basel. (Picture: Uwe Zinke)
First innovation: The Swiss Open is part of the newly designed HSBC BWF World Tour. The top players in the world rankings will compete on the tour in singles and doubles. This ensures that the cracks are also present in Basel.

Second innovation: the tournament in the St. Jakobshalle will feature various new technical facilities. As in tennis, a Hawk-Eye will be used, and there will also be speed measurement and a big screen.

The third new feature: the prize money has been increased to 150,000 US dollars for 2018, further cementing its status in the tournament calendar.

There are also some prominent names in the field of participants. Top seed among the men is the Dane Jan O. Jörgensen. Jörgensen became European champion in 2014 and won the bronze medal at the 2015 World Championships. His last major success was two years ago, when he won silver at the European Championships. Sayaka Takahashi stands out among the women. The Japanese athlete is currently ranked 21st in the world. You can expect fireworks in the men's doubles: with the Danish duo Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen, the current number 2 in the doubles world rankings will be competing in Basel.

The stage is definitely set for a top-class badminton spectacle.

BADMINTON SWISS OPEN
February 22 to 25, 2018, St. Jakobshalle Basel
TICKETS

Translated with DeepL