Indian stars endorse Airbadminton, a new version of outdoor badminton

India's top shuttlers, including Saina Nehwal, have endorsed sport's new format - AirBadminton, saying it has the potential to provide an alternate career to retired professionals.

Outdoor badminton is one of India's favourite recreational sports and there are places in the country where it is a money-making option too.

Airbadminton was globally launched at Guangzhou last week by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) with new dimensions of the court and an innovative shuttlecock called Airshuttle.

Airshuttle, the most important component of the format, has been designed to have similar trajectory, acoustics and feel to that of a traditional indoor shuttle.

It would have minimal impact from side and axial wind and limited influence from humidity variations.

Olympic bronze medallist and former world number one Saina said Airbadminton will further promote the sport, taking it to different corners of the world.

"In India we mostly get introduced to this sport as an outdoor game only. We played it with our parents and friends outside the house. This is a great initiative by BWF to bring it to the fore and promote it," Saina told PTI.

"I'm sure it will encourage amateur sportspersons to participate more and game's popularity will swell world over."
"It will take some time for people to take it up but it surely has the potential, you never know it can be a big thing in future."