Indonesia eying world mixed team title<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is preparing for the Sudirman Cup
\nmixed team championships on a larger scale than it is for the
\nWorld Championships, when the two major badminton tournaments are
\non stage in two week's time in Switzerland.<\/p>\n
National head coach Indra Gunawan said yesterday his 29-strong
\nteam was all set to regain the team championship title in
\naddition to the Thomas and Uber Cups they won last year.<\/p>\n
"Personally speaking, winning the Sudirman Cup looks more
\nprestigious than triumphing in the World Championships," Indra
\nsaid. "We have to wait for another two years if we are down in
\nthe upcoming Sudirman Cup."<\/p>\n
Indonesia won the inaugural Sudirman Cup in 1989 at home but
\nfell in the last hurdles twice at the hand of South Korea. The
\ncup is named after Sudirman, Indonesia's badminton founding
\nfather, who died in 1986 at the age of 64.<\/p>\n
The upcoming Sudirman Cup and the World Championships will
\ntake place successively from May 17 to 28 in Lausanne,
\nSwitzerland. The mixed team tournament will contest five rubbers
\nunder the order of women's singles, men's doubles, women's
\ndoubles, men's singles and mixed doubles.<\/p>\n
Both events will award ranking points to the participating
\nplayers, who are in pursuit of places in the 1996 Olympic Games,
\nto be held in Atlanta.<\/p>\n
"It doesn't matter if we lose in the World Championships,
\nsince there are still many tournaments offering big ranking
\npoints," said Indra.<\/p>\n
Indonesia suffered a narrow 2-3 defeat in the 1993 Sudirman
\nCup final in Birmingham, but bounced back to sweep three
\nindividual titles in the World Championships, through men's
\nsingles Joko Suprianto, women's singles Susi Susanti and men's
\ndoubles team of Ricky Subagja and Rudy Gunawan.<\/p>\n
Joko, Susi, Ricky and Gunawan will show up in both
\nchampionships, along with their triumphant Thomas Cup and Uber
\nCup teammates. Debutants will include men's singles Lioe Tiong
\nPing and women's shuttlers Mia Audina and Cindana.<\/p>\n
Indra said his side remains heavy on men's singles, women's
\nsingles and men's doubles to win the coveted title.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, South Korea, Denmark, China, England and Thailand
\nhave qualified for the Sudirman Cup finals. They will be split
\ninto two group and play round-robin matches. The top two teams
\nwill move to the cross-over semifinals.<\/p>\n
Indra said that he was expecting another finals showdown with
\nSouth Korea, the fourth finals meeting between the two badminton
\npowerhouses since the inception of the Cup in 1989.<\/p>\n
"South Korea is the strongest opponent so far, with Denmark
\nand China a little bit weaker," Indra said.<\/p>\n
The national team for the Lausanne championships will
\nentertain their fans during simulation games at the Senayan
\nindoor stadium on Friday. The matches will also cap the
\ncelebration of the Badminton Association of Indonesia's 44th
\nanniversary. (amd)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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