Taufik feels Axiata Cup needs more promotion to become the biggest team event – Badminton News
The Indonesian badminton maestro, Taufik Hidayat asserted that the Axiata Cup needs more promotional activities to grab the attention across the globe which ultimately will make it the biggest team event.
Axiata Cup has been declared the richest team event in badminton history as it offers the lucrative amount of $1 million.
Tournament has been premeditated to promote badminton in South East Asian region and it was launched as an invitational event so only six countries Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Philippines participated in the event which reduced
its significance to some extent.
Former World and Olympic Champion Taufik Hidayat feels that the Axiata Cup is on right track to become most prestigious team event of the badminton world. Just more promotion should be done to make it more popular in next editions.
He said, "The tournament is a good start and what is lacking is the promotional activities. People need to know more about Axiata Cup and more promotional activities must be done so that it becomes popular in the coming years."
Axiata Cup also came under fire for its timings as few coaches and players hardly managed to spare time during their preparation for Olympics.
However, the World Number 11 shuttler Taufik looked happy with the schedule as this team event brought the best for both Indonesian teams and it also worked as good warm-up run before the grand marathon of Thomas Cup and the 2012 London Olympics.
Taufik said, "Our aim is for both teams from Indonesia to reach the final and we have done it. This event is part of our preparation for the Thomas Cup."
Indonesia fielded two teams, Garuda and Rajawali as both teams ruled the courts in the semi-finals against their rivals the Malaysian Tigers and the Leopards respectively.
Both teams are now scheduled to meet in the final and the Indonesian badminton ace is confident to snatch the crown from their inexperienced compatriot rivals.
He said, "It is going to be close between us. Rajawali can perform well but as the more experienced team, Garuda will win the Axiata Cup. That's our aim."
The Axiata Cup finals are set to be held from April 13 in Jakarta and the winner will go home with a whopping amount of $400,000 while the runners-up will also pocket a fat cheque of $200,000.
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