The 2016-17 Badminton Malta season got underway in October with new formats introduced in various competitions on the local calendar. A new set-up was mainly given to the ranking tournaments, the first of which was played recently at Cottonera Sports Complex.

The format was a knock-out with the winners advancing to the next round and the losers staying in the tournament and playing on to determine the final classification.

That gave all participants a chance to play the maximum games possible, gaining more competition experience in line with Badminton Malta’s vision of increased participation and interest.

The qualifying rounds, where lower-ranked players fought for a place in the main draw, heralded the start of the ranking event.

In the end, Avner Vella and Zack Cilia made it to the main draw along with Maya Xuereb and Michaela Gatt. The main draw comprised 16 men and eight women.

Matthew Abela, Stefan Salomone, Kenneth Vella and Samuel Calí, all former Malta champions, made it to the semi-finals where Abela and Calí got the upperhand at the expense of Salomone and Vella respectively.

The final confirmed Abela’s early-season form after he beat Calí 21-7, 21-11.

Women’s national champion these last five years, Fiorella-Marie Sadowski, progressed to the final where she met 16-year-old Yanika Polidano.

Sadowski saw off Polidano’s stiff challenge with a close win –  27-25 and 23-21.

Abela and Sadowski will be taking part in international events in the coming weeks.

Abela is set to figure in the Czech and Slovak junior competitions later this month and Sadowski is registered for the Italian Open in December.

In a statement, Badminton Malta ex-pressed its satisfaction at the success of the ranking tournament and the level of play shown, highlighting the unlimited number of exciting rallies that the top players offered to the local badminton fans.