Hendrawan keeps a low profile at Malaysia Open<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): World Champion Hendrawan is keeping a low
\nprofile on his chances to grab the men's singles title at the
\nfour-star Malaysia Open next week, especially with the
\napplication of the new scoring system of the best of five games
\nin seven points.<\/p>\n
"I haven't played the new system in a tournament. We have been
\napplying it in training, but it is completely different to the
\nold system of three games in 15 points," he told The Jakarta Post
\nafter his training at the Indonesian Badminton Center in
\nCipayung, East Jakarta, on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
"Besides the new scoring system, I'll also face tough
\nchallengers in the early rounds, but I have beaten several of
\nthem before."<\/p>\n
Hendrawan, the world number three, will meet host Saman Ismail
\nin the first round at the tournament, to be slated from July 18
\nto July 22. If he wins, he is likely to face Tam Kai Chuen of
\nHong Kong in the second round.<\/p>\n
"I've usually beaten Tam in the rubber sets. The new system
\nwill force me to attack from the beginning, otherwise, he will
\ncontrol the whole match," said the 29-year-old shuttler.<\/p>\n
However, in the World Championships in Seville, Spain in early
\nJune, Hendrawan defeated Tam in straight sets 15-3, 15-12.<\/p>\n
Coach Agus Dwi Santoso echoed Hendrawan's opinion and said he
\nhoped the Indonesian would bring home a title from the Grand Prix
\nseries but he would not expect too much.<\/p>\n
"Hendrawan is facing tough challengers in the early rounds.
\nHe'll have to work hard to overcome them. Besides, he also has to
\nadapt to the new system."<\/p>\n
"I started training them with the new scoring system after
\nreturning from Seville. Since then, they haven't had any
\ntournaments yet that have used it and they still need time to
\nadjust.<\/p>\n
"Only Taufik (Hidayat) and Marlev (Mainaky) competed at the
\nSwiss Open, which used the system."<\/p>\n
Marlev will skip the tournament, opting to concentrate on the
\nIndonesia Open a week after the event and World Grand Prix Finals
\nin August.<\/p>\n
"I personally prefer the best of three games in 15 points,"
\ndefending champion Taufik told the Post by phone. "The new system
\nis too fast and I am finding it hard to adjust."<\/p>\n
Taufik, whose coach lost his contract when it was terminated
\nby the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) on June 15,
\nskipped the training program with Agus on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
"I did the physical training by myself," said the 19-year-old
\nshuttler, who is still refusing to join Agus' training program.<\/p>\n
Second seed Taufik will face lesser known Pei Wei Chung of
\nMalaysia in the first round. He is expected to meet Chen Yu of
\nChina in the next round before he is likely to face Dicky Palyama
\nof the Netherlands in the third round.<\/p>\n
The Asian Badminton Championships finalist, Rony Agustinus,
\nhas a tough challenge ahead of him as he will meet South Korean
\nold-hand Park Tae Sang in the first round. Should he survive, he
\nwill meet Olympics champion Ji Xinpeng of China, whom he beat in
\nthe second round of the Japan Open.<\/p>\n
Top seed Chen Hong of China is to meet Chetan Anand of India
\nin the first round before meeting the winner of the second round
\nmatch between James Chua of Malaysia and Anuphap Thiraratsakul of
\nThailand.<\/p>\n
Host hero Roslin Hashim, the fifth seed here, is to face
\nShinya Ohtsuka of Japan in the first round before being
\nchallenged by the winner between Arief Rasidi of Indonesia and
\nCai Yun of China in the second round.<\/p>\n
Roslin is the hot favorite here as he managed to win the Swiss
\nOpen earlier this year, which used the new scoring system.<\/p>\n
World number one Peter Gade Christensen of Denmark opted to
\nmiss the tournament to prepare for the Grand Prix Finals. (yan)<\/p>",
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