When most Canadians think about badminton, they picture leisurely days in their backyard with friends, casually hitting a birdie over the net. Take a closer look at the elite level of the sport and you’ll quickly realize those carefree days in the backyard are far from what happens when the best in the world are playing.
This July, the 2019 YONEX Canada Open Super 100 presented by Sun Life is giving sports fans the chance to see the best of the badminton best compete firsthand. “We really think badminton typically flies under the radar for those of us in Canada and America,” said Alex Pang, the technical director at Badminton Alberta. “When people get the chance to come out and see the highest quality level of professionals playing, it’s usually a really pleasant surprise to see the athleticism and the skill and the finesse that goes into being a professional playing the sport.”
Here’s what you need to know about the biggest badminton competition in Canada: