Indonesia favored in Sudirman Cup<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has an excellent chance to complete
\nits badminton supremacy with a Sudirman Cup mixed team
\nchampionships victory in Lausanne, Switzerland, a badminton
\nlegend says.<\/p>\n
\"With a pack of star players whose skills are relatively
\nequal, Indonesia is an odds-on favorite to bring the Cup back
\nhome,\" Rudy Hartono said during the celebration of the Badminton
\nAssociation of Indonesia (PBSI) 44th anniversary at the Senayan
\nindoor stadium yesterday.<\/p>\n
Badminton maestro Rudy, an eight-time All England champion and
\nthe 1980 world champion, said that Indonesia's strong men's and
\nwomen's singles and men's doubles would guarantee that the
\nSudirman Cup would adorn PBSI's locker room along with the Thomas
\nand Uber Cups it won last year.<\/p>\n
PBSI chief Soerjadi, chairman of the National Sports Council
\nWismoyo Arismunandar, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono
\nIsman and old-time Indonesian shuttlers were all present at the
\ncelebration.<\/p>\n
The men's singles all-conquering team made up of world number
\none Hariyanto Arbi, number two Ardy Wiranata, Hermawan Susanto
\nand world champion Joko Suprianto will join forces with world
\nbadminton queen Susi Susanti, rising star Mia Audina and their
\nUber Cup teammates at the May 17-22 championships.<\/p>\n
World's top-three men's pairs of Ricky Subagja\/Rexy Mainaky,
\nRudy Gunawan\/Bambang Suprianto and Antonius\/Denny Kantono will
\nalso work to spur their team to a world team championships
\ntreble.<\/p>\n
Olympic men's singles gold medalist Alan Budikusuma will miss
\nanother chance to represent Indonesia in team events. He was
\nsidelined in Thomas Cup and Asian Games team competition last
\nyear. Alan, however, will try to make amends for his
\ndisappointing performance in the world championships held two
\ndays after the Sudirman Cup.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia should beware of psychological exhaustion, which
\ncould happen during such tight, nerve-wracking competitions,\"
\nRudy said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is grouped with Denmark and Thailand, against whom
\nthey will play round-robin matches. The other group includes
\ndefending champion South Korea, China and England. The top two
\nteams of each group will meet in cross-over semifinals.<\/p>\n
South Korea, with strong doubles teams, ended Indonesia's run
\nin the last two Sudirman Cup finals. Indonesia won the inaugural
\nchampionships here in 1989.<\/p>\n
Exhibition matches capped yesterday's celebration, to the
\ndelight of 2,000 crowd. Susi beat her teammate Yuni Kartika 11-5,
\n11-7 and Danny Kantono\/Antonius needed only a set to beat their
\nseniors Gunawan\/Bambang, after Gunawan pulled out of the exciting
\nmatch with a twisted ankle. (amd)<\/p>",
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