Sabah line judge at Malaysia Open: "It's more pressure when the player is famous!"

Last week, Edeline Lo made her debut as a line judge on the World Tour circuit, where she officiated more than 15 matches in the week-long Malaysia Open.

Just like the shuttlers, the 27-year-old Sabahan had to put in hard work to become an official at the Super 1000 event.

“I first had to sit for a theory and practical exam to get the certificate which qualifies me to become a badminton line judge. After that I was assigned as an official at junior circuit competitions where your performance will be assessed.

“I am fortunate to be here for the Malaysia Open after my state nominated me,” Lo told Stadium Astro.

The soft-spoken lass, who began to carve out her line judging career in high school, lets her hand gestures do the talking courtside.

To some, the role of a line judge may seem straightforward when they call the shuttle out, or in.

But with the feathered ‘birdie’ able to travel more than 400km/h if smashed with sheer power, making the right call can be a challenge.

“As a line judge, my key responsibility is to focus on the court lines. Judging the shuttle can be a challenge because of the speed when it lands on court.

“I also realize how my decisions can change the result of a match, especially if the score is at 20-19. It’s even more pressure when the player is famous! But the shuttlers at the Malaysia Open mostly respect my decision,” Lo explained.

If the shuttlers feel the line judges calls are wrong, they can always resort to challenge that decision through the instant review system.

As a line judge, Lo knows it is impossible to make the right call all the time.

“My decisions have been mostly the right ones, but I got some wrong too. There are stats for line judges too, which indicates how many calls we get right and wrong. It serves as a benchmark for us to be more alert in the coming matches.”

When asked of the most exciting match she officiated at the Malaysia Open, Lo said it was the men’s singles second round clash between Viktor Axelsen and Lee Cheuk Yiu.