Mia makes her return, Raj king for a day<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
FEELING AT HOME: Istora Senayan sports hall holds a lot of
\nmemories for Indonesian-born Mia Audina Tjiptawan.<\/p>\n
Although she left for the Netherlands in 1999 after marrying
\nTylo Lobman, Mia is pleased to be back in her old hunting ground
\nfor the ongoing Djarum Indonesia Open.<\/p>\n
It was in the Central Jakarta sports hall that Mia, then a
\ntalented 14 year old, helped the national squad triumph in the
\nUber Cup women's team event.<\/p>\n
She has played here again since moving to Europe, but the
\nreception from some local fans was not always welcoming.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, it was a bit different for the eighth seed on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
\"I heard more clapping than people taunting me,\" she said
\nafter sweeping Korean Kim Sun Me 11-0, 11-0.<\/p>\n
Mia said she would give up the game when it was time to have
\nchildren with her husband, who is of Surinamese descent.<\/p>\n
\"In the future, I might become a coach if somebody offered the
\njob to me.\"<\/p>\n
BIG DAY: On Wednesday's first day of competition, fans began
\nfiling in at 2 p.m. to see World and Olympic champion Taufik
\nHidayat.<\/p>\n
Very few knew anything about his opponent, Raj Popat, a player
\nof Indian descent who was born in Birmingham but now lives in
\nWales.<\/p>\n
The 19 year old has trained for two months at Tangkas Bogasari
\nClub here, and he said many of his club mates teased him when he
\nwas drawn to play Taufik.<\/p>\n
Although he never seriously tested the third seed, at least
\nRaj did not disgrace himself, although he admitted he was shaking
\nwhen he came on court.<\/p>\n
\"I had a great experience playing with a legend as I started
\nmy first major tournament,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Raj, who will return to Wales this week, is targeting a top 20
\nplace within the next three years.<\/p>\n
STUDY SESSION: Malaysian head coach Yap Kim Hock, who does his
\nbest to watch all of his players in action, says he has no
\nspecific title target for the tournament.<\/p>\n
Yap, who brought a 32-strong team of shuttlers, wants them to
\nget experience from playing in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"We want to learn more from Indonesia, especially in the men's
\ndouble category. That is why we have Rexy Mainaky,\" Yap said of
\nthe former top Indonesian doubles champion with Ricky Subagja.<\/p>\n
He obviously holds no hard feelings for his 1996 Olympic final
\ndefeat, with partner Cheah Soon Kit, to the Indonesian pair in a
\nthrilling 15-12 deciding game. (004)<\/p>",
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