Former star upset about Thomas Cup team<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Recently retired badminton star Hendrawan rued the exclusion
\nof Sigit Budiarto and Halim Haryanto from Indonesia's Thomas Cup
\nteam, but admitted that the sport's governing body PBSI must have
\nhad a good reason for the decision.<\/p>\n
\"There was something odd going on behind Sigit and Halim's
\nexclusion from the lineup. It's a very sad thing that they could
\nnot make it,\" Hendrawan, who helped Indonesia win the cup for the
\nfifth consecutive time two years ago in Guangzhou, China, told
\nThe Jakarta Post here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Sigit had been paired with Candra Wijaya before switching to
\nTri Kusharjanto. With Candra, Sigit became a world champion in
\n2003.<\/p>\n
After parting with Sigit, Candra opted for Halim. They won the
\nDenmark Masters in December, but a string of poor performances in
\nthe following tournaments seemed to seal the breakup.<\/p>\n
It will be the new partnership of Candra and Tri Kusharjanto
\nat Thomas Cup, which will be held concurrently with its women's
\nversion, the Uber Cup in Jakarta from May 7 to May 16.<\/p>\n
The other two men's doubles teams are Luluk Hadiyanto\/Alven
\nYulianto and Flandy Limpele\/Eng Hian.<\/p>\n
Hendrawan, who retired last year due to age and nagging
\ninjuries, said it reminded him of the adage \"If ain't broke don't
\nfix it\"<\/p>\n
He said if they were going to pair Candra up with someone new,
\nit should have been Sigit instead of Trikus.<\/p>\n
\"I have before been together in many competitions with Candra
\nand Sigit. They have great quality as a men's doubles pair,\"
\nHendrawan said.<\/p>\n
However, he refused to directly criticize PBSI's decision,
\nsaying that since he was not around anymore, he did not know what
\nwas happening and that PBSI might have a good reason.<\/p>\n
Christian Hadinata, the director of the national training
\ncamp, earlier said that the doubles' players all had equal
\nstrength, but they had to choose three pairs and that two would
\nbe left out.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is grouped with China and the United States in their
\nThomas Cup group, which sees 12 teams divided into four groups.<\/p>\n
Hendrawan predicted that the Candra\/Trikus team might only
\nserve as reserve pair with Luluk\/Alven and Flandy\/Eng Hian almost
\ncertain to be the key pairs.<\/p>\n
The singles' spots are occupied by two-time Asian champion
\nSony Dwi Kuncoro, Taufik Hidayat, Simon Santoso and Wiempie
\nMahardi.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Retno Kustiah, a former national coach, said that
\nPBSI had come up with the best female team possible for the Uber
\nCup which also has 12 teams competing.<\/p>\n
But she saw a potentially daunting task by the Indonesian
\nwomen, who are drawn against defending champion China and The
\nNetherlands.<\/p>\n
\"These are the best players we've got right now,\" she said.<\/p>\n
\"I wish we were in Group C or D. It would be much easier. But
\nit was our bad luck being in Group A,\" said Retno, who played in
\nthe Uber Cup in the 1960s.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's Uber Cup team comprises Silvi Antarini, Maria
\nKristin, Adrianti Firdasari, Fransisca Ratnasari in singles; Jo
\nNovita\/Lita Nurlita, Eny Erlangga\/Lilyana Natsir and Greysia
\nPolii\/Rani Mundiastuti in doubles.<\/p>\n
Both Hendrawan and Retno hoped that their successors would be
\nable to benefit from playing on their home.<\/p>",
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