SLAMS FOR SMASHES Badminton is keen on getting its circuit jazzed up, and though everything’s going quite smooth if you ask us, the sport wants to create tennis like Grand Slams. Players remain the focus through the week, even as Okuhara is declared the queen of shuttle. Lewis Hamilton beats Michael Schumacher’s record with 69th pole position. At the badminton, Lin Dan ain’t that eloquent, but he wonders why they keep telling him he’s 34 years old even if he’s making the finals. David John will deliver much better than Roelant Oltmans, says BP Govinda. In 2015, he was made the chief coach after Van Ass was sacked following a tiff with then Hockey India president Narinder Batra. They’ll be happy today,” they say accusingly, adding that at the next Worlds in Nanjing, China, they’ll root for the Indian. “Hopefully, it’s nothing serious and I’ll be ready for my next match. But 19-year-old Enock Mwepu, also making his international debut, came on to score on the counter in the final minute to make sure of home success. Iceland will try to get back on track on Tuesday when they host Ukraine, who play third-placed Turkey later on Saturday, while the Finns travel to fellow strugglers Kosovo.