Gade Christensen aims high at Open<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A poor performance makes athletes eager to break
\nthe jinx. This is the case with Peter Gade Christensen of
\nDenmark, who wants to improve on his past performances in the
\nUS$150,000 Sanyo Indonesia Open at the Senayan Tennis Indoor
\nStadium.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a media conference on Tuesday, Gade Christensen
\nsaid competing in the Indonesia Open was difficult because
\nIndonesian shuttlers always did well at home.<\/p>\n
\"But I want to prove that I can go further, into the
\nsemifinals and final of the tournament this year. With a tough
\ndraw in the tournament, I just want to take one step at a time,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Gade Christensen, currently ranked number one in the world, is
\nscheduled to face Indonesian second-stringer Ronny Agustinus in
\nthe first round of the tournament on Wednesday morning. He lost
\nto Marlev Mainaky of Indonesia in the quarterfinals last year in
\nBali.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not saying that I'm going to win this year, as I have to
\nmeet Ronny and it's a very hard first round. But I'm quite
\nsatisfied with my performance the last four years in the
\ntournament.\"<\/p>\n
\"I won the Malaysian Open last year so I think I can also win
\nhere. I have a chance to become the first Danish player to win
\nthe tournament,\" said the top seed, who has chosen to skip the
\nMalaysian Open this year because it is too close to the Olympics.<\/p>\n
Since being staged for the first time in 1982, only four
\nforeign players -- Han Jian of China in 1985, Yang Yang of China
\nin 1987, Xiong Guobao of China in 1989 and Yong Hock Kin of
\nMalaysia in 1998 -- have won the men's singles title at the
\nIndonesian Open.<\/p>\n
The 22-year-old Dutch player admitted he was not in his top
\nform. \"Actually, I'm not at my best due to the preparations for
\nthe Olympic Games, but my physical fitness is good enough.\"<\/p>\n
Gade Christensen, who aims to win gold at the Olympics, sees
\nworld champion Sun Jun of China as a tough competitor in the
\ntournament, besides the local shuttlers, including defending
\nchampion Taufik Hidayat and second-seeded Hendrawan.<\/p>\n
World number seven Taufik has confirmed his participation in
\nthe July 19 to July 23 event, following reports that he might
\nwithdraw due to a back injury.<\/p>\n
Hendrawan, who won the three-star Thailand Open last week, is
\nalso eying a victory in this tournament.<\/p>\n
\"With only the three titles I have won as a shuttler, of
\ncourse I want to add more. But competing in the Indonesia Open is
\nalways tough because I have to face my teammates, and it's always
\ndifficult for me,\" he said in a telephone interview.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Mia Audina, who now competes for the Netherlands,
\nsaid she was confident going into the event.<\/p>\n
\"I want to win the women's singles title here as I did in
\n1998. I think the draw is good enough for me,\" she said following
\na practice session.<\/p>\n
Third-seeded Mia is scheduled to face local shuttler Budiani
\nin the second round, after receiving a bye in the first round.<\/p>\n
Mia said her toughest competition in the tournament would be
\nCamilla Martin of Denmark, who is currently ranked first in the
\nworld.<\/p>\n
The chairwoman of the tournament's organizing committee, Mimi
\nIrawan, said the event's organizers, IMG and RCTI, had considered
\nthe security factor in planning the event. The final of the
\ntournament will take place at the same time as the final of the
\nBank Mandiri national soccer league at Senayan Stadium on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\"We have arranged everything and RCTI, as the official
\nbroadcaster, has decided to stage the soccer league final at 4:30
\np.m. Jakarta time and the badminton final at 6 p.m. Jakarta
\ntime,\" she said.<\/p>\n
International Badminton Federation vice president Justian
\nSuhandinata expressed gratitude to the participants, saying the
\nincreased number of competitors, including shuttlers from China
\nand South Korea, which had been absent from the tournament since
\n1997, demonstrated the improving conditions in Indonesia. (yan)<\/p>",
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