Speed testing is a smash hit in Beijing

May 12, 2005

Badminton can firmly stake its claim to be the world's fastest racket sport, with smashes reaching speeds of up to 332 kph (207 mph) so far at testing during the Sudirman Cup in Beijing. IBF is conducting speed trials for the first time at one of its major events, with microwave sensors recording the speed of smashes on the main TV court (court 4) during this ninth edition of the World Mixed Team Championships.

Chinese doubles star Fu Haifeng has clocked the fastest smash of 332 kph so far, while Denmark's Kenneth Jonassen has recorded the fastest smash for a singles player at 298 kph (185 mph).

And with women's singles shuttler Huang Sui hitting at 257 kph (160 mph), tennis star Andy Roddick's world-record serve of 246 kph (153 mph) is some way off of badminton's blistering pace.

Source from http://www.internationalbadminton.org/index.asp