Hendrawan confident of success in Grand Prix Finals debut<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's top men's badminton singles player
\nHendrawan is upbeat about possible victory in his debut at the
\nGrand Prix Finals later this month.<\/p>\n
The world number five said he was in top form, thanks to a
\ntwo-month break from competition that allowed him to recover from
\nillness.<\/p>\n
"I feel I'm physically much stronger than ever. I think the
\nlayoff is too long for me and I cannot wait for a return to
\ncourt," he said.<\/p>\n
Hendrawan last played in the Asian Games last December and
\nmissed the season's two opening tournaments in Seoul and Taipei
\nearlier this month. He complained of fever during the Games in
\nwhich he led Indonesia to the men's team gold medal and took the
\nmen's singles silver medal.<\/p>\n
Apart from Hendrawan, Budi Santoso and Hariyanto Arbi are also
\ntipped to lift the men's singles crown in the Grand Prix Finals.
\nThe season-ending tournament was delayed from its original
\nschedule of December last year to Feb. 24-28 because of the Asian
\nGames.<\/p>\n
Only the world's top 16 players in both men's and women's
\nsingles are eligible for the finals, as are the top eight pairs
\nin the women's, men's and mixed doubles.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian men's singles trio will face a strong field of
\nDenmark's Peter Gade Christensen, Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen and
\nKenneth Jonassen, China's Sun Jun, Luo Yigang, Dong Jiong and
\nChen Gang, Malaysia's Ong Ewe Hock, Yong Hock Kin, Rashid Sidek
\nand Roslin Hashim, Swede Thomas Johansson and Jeroen van Dijk of
\nthe Netherlands.<\/p>\n
Hendrawan said he would like his opponents to rate him an
\nunderdog on account of his being out of action for a couple of
\nmonths.<\/p>\n
"It will be a little difficult in the early stages of my
\ncomeback, and I hope everybody will be easy on me. Being an
\nunderdog always give me an advantage," he said.<\/p>\n
He predicted Chinese opponents would give him the toughest
\ntest.<\/p>\n
"As usual, the Chinese will make me play to the fullest. But
\nI'm now highly motivated to prove that I deserve the world best
\ntag," he said.<\/p>\n
An exhausted Hendrawan lost to China's Olympic silver medalist
\nDong in the Asian Games final.<\/p>\n
Fielding four pairs, Indonesia looks certain to dominate the
\nmen's doubles competition at the Grand Prix Finals. Topping the
\nseeding list are Olympic and Asian Games champions Ricky Subagja
\nand Rexy Mainaky.<\/p>\n
There has been confusion in the Indonesian camp as the pairing
\nof Tony Gunawan and Halim Heryanto are listed as qualifiers
\nalthough they no longer form a partnership. Tony is now teaming
\nup with Candra Wijaya, whose old partner Sigit Budiarto is
\nserving a one-year drug ban.<\/p>\n
"I couldn't believe it. We are no longer partners and have not
\nplayed together for months," said Tony, who won the Malaysia Open
\nwith Halim and will be seeded third in Brunei.<\/p>\n
"But everything will be okay. We have been working out
\ntogether for three weeks, and there's no problem in rebuilding
\nour teamwork," Tony added.<\/p>\n
In the women's singles, Mia Audina is the only Indonesian to
\nhave secured a place in the finals. Her teammate Lydia
\nDjaelawidjaja has been named the first alternate player.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will also have a pair each in the women's doubles --
\nElysa Nathanael and Deyana Lomban -- and mixed doubles -- Minarti
\nTimur and Tri Kusherjanto. (yan)<\/p>",
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