Hock Kin steals Indonesia's glory<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Home shuttlers entertained their victory hungry
\nsupporters with devastating displays at the US$120,000 Sanyo
\nIndonesia Open on Sunday, but conceded the prestigious men's
\ncrown to Malaysian second stringer Yong Hock Kin.<\/p>\n
A nothing-to-lose Hock Kin kept his composure to tame an
\nerror-prone Budi Santoso and silence a crowd of thousands who
\npacked to the 10,000-seat Senayan Indoor Stadium in the hope of
\nseeing their badminton idols repeat their clean sweep of last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Hock Kin's success in giving Malaysia its first men's singles
\ntitle ever here served a warning to Indonesia's bid for at least
\ntwo gold medals at the upcoming Asian Games, not to mention major
\nchallenges from top flight Malaysian, Chinese and South Korean
\nplayers who were absent from the tournament.<\/p>\n
Before Hock Kin's easy 15-7, 15-6 victory, Indonesia won
\ntitles from the mixed doubles team of Tri Kusharjanto and Minarti
\nTimur and from Mia Audina in the women's singles.<\/p>\n
A makeshift women's pair of Eliza Nathanael and Deyana Lomban
\nlifted a third title for Indonesia after coming from a set down
\nto beat Denmark's Marlene Thomsen and Rikke Olsen 7-15, 17-15,
\n15-7 in a nail-biting match.<\/p>\n
Olympic men's doubles champions Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky
\nthen sealed the glorious day with a 15-4, 15-5 win over
\ncompatriots Flandy Limpele and Eng Hian, a repeat of their
\nprevious clash in the final of the Danish Open two weeks ago.<\/p>\n
Playing under the deafening cheers of fanatical supporters,
\nBudi lost the firepower which helped him to oust Olympic gold
\nmedalist and second seed Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen in Saturday's
\nsemifinals.<\/p>\n
World number eight Hock Kin piled pressure on Budi with
\naggressive strokes, forcing the home player into numerous errors
\nthroughout the game.<\/p>\n
\"I think I won easily. Budi was more exhausted than I was
\nbecause he played rubber sets yesterday (Saturday). I watched
\nBudi playing and thought how to anticipate him,\" said the
\n24-year-old Hock Kin who pocketed the top $9.800 purse for
\nwinning his first career title.<\/p>\n
\"I was really surprised that I took the title,\" said Hock Kin,
\nwho has borrowed money from friends to compete in international
\ntournaments over the last two years.<\/p>\n
\"I'll use the prize money to pay back my debts,\" he giggled.<\/p>\n
A dejected Budi said he could not maintain his cool against a
\nstubborn player like Hock Kin.<\/p>\n
\"I have problems in taking on left-handed opponents,\" said
\nBudi. Hoyer-Larsen, whom he beat on Saturday, was also a left-
\nhander.<\/p>\n
Maiden title<\/p>\n
Mia also collected her first title at the tournament in the
\nabsence of six-times winner Susi Susanti, who is pregnant, and a
\nnumber of the world's top players.<\/p>\n
World number five and top seed Mia was untroubled in
\neliminating second seed and her chief rival Mette Sorensen of
\nDenmark 11-0, 11-6.<\/p>\n
But Mia refused to play down the competitive standard of her
\nfinal match, particularly because Sorensen managed to go 4-1 and
\n6-4 ahead in the second set before falling behind to Mia's
\nstrokeplay.<\/p>\n
\"I don't think that was an easy match. There's no match
\nwithout a fight,\" Mia told a post-match media conference.<\/p>\n
\"I had great motivation to win this tournament. I wanted to
\nshow the public that I'm back to this stage again, and I have
\nproved it,\" she added.<\/p>\n
Her boyfriend Tylio Lobman accompanied her during the
\nconference.<\/p>\n
\"My victory is a birthday present for Tylio, who will be 23 on
\nNov. 27,\" said the 19-year-old shuttler who bagged $8,280 for her
\nlabors. Sorensen earned $3,960.<\/p>\n
Mia crashed to compatriot Ellen Angelina in last year's
\nquarterfinals.<\/p>\n
Mia said she would not compete in this month's Hong Kong Open
\nbecause she was preparing for the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in
\nDecember.<\/p>\n
\"I know I'll meet tougher shuttlers at the Asiad but I hope
\nthis victory will give me more confidence,\" she said. (yan)<\/p>\n
Results:<\/p>\n
Men's singles:
\nYong Hock Kin (Mal) bt Budi Santoso (Ina) 15-7, 15-6<\/p>\n
Women's singles:
\nMia Audina (Ina) bt Mette Sorensen (Den) 11-0, 11-6<\/p>\n
Men's doubles:
\nRicky Subagja\/Rexy Mainaky (Ina) bt Flandy Limpele\/Eng Hian (Ina)
\n15-4, 15-5<\/p>\n
Women's doubles:
\nEliza Nathanael\/Deyana Lomban (Ina) bt Marlene Thomsen\/Rikke
\nOlsen (Den) 7-15, 17-15, 15-7<\/p>\n
Mixed doubles:
\n Tri Kusharjanto\/Minarti Timur (Ina) bt Michael Sogaard\/Rikke
\n Olsen (Den) 10-15, 15-6, 15-6<\/p>",
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