RI relying on Susi and Joko in Grand Prix Finals<\/p>\n
BOGOR, West Jakarta (JP): Indonesia is banking on veterans
\nJoko Suprianto and Susi Susanti for gold medals at the Lipton
\nWorld Grand Prix Badminton Finals in Denpasar, Bali, next month.<\/p>\n
Defending champion Joko, the country's No. One men's singles
\nplayer, has been named the third seed in the tournament after top
\nseed Denmark's Olympic champion Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen and
\nMalaysian Ong Ewe Hock.<\/p>\n
"I will fight tooth and nail to win the tournament, especially
\nbecause of the alluring prize money," Joko said yesterday when
\nasked about his chances in the US$350,000 tournament, which only
\nfeatures a selected group of world beaters.<\/p>\n
The tournament, which will take place from Dec. 2 to Dec. 8 in
\nthe Yuwana Mandala Stadium, is the climax of this year's 19 Grand
\nPrix events.<\/p>\n
Another national men's shuttler eligible to compete in the
\ntournament is Hermawan Susanto, seeded 10th among the 16 players
\nin the men's singles field. Indonesian Heryanto Arby is likely to
\nmiss the tournament due to a nagging back injury.<\/p>\n
"We really hope that Heryanto will be able to recover in time
\nfor the tournament. However even if he does, his current world
\nranking will not make him eligible for the event,"Sumaryono, an
\nofficial of the Badminton Association of Indonesia (BAI), said.<\/p>\n
The former All-England champion, known for his leaping
\nsmashes, is currently ranked 18th in the world. But he could make
\nthe elite field if two players pull out.<\/p>\n
In the women's singles, third seeded Susi is being challenged
\nby China's Zhang Ning and Dane Camilla Martin. Defending champion
\nYe Zhaoying, seeded eighth, will also pose a threat to Susi, who
\nwon the tournament five times in a row from 1990 to 1994.<\/p>\n
Olympic silver medalist Mia Audina will have to labor hard in
\ntwo other Grand Prix events; The Hong Kong and Thailand Opens, to
\nimprove her ranking.<\/p>\n
"If Mia reaches the semifinals in the two tournaments, she
\nwill be eligible for the 12-player field in the Grand Prix
\nFinals", Hadi Nasri, another BAI official said.<\/p>\n
Sumaryono said although Joko and Susi have qualified for the
\ntournament, they will take part in the less prestigious Thailand
\nOpen as a warm-up outing prior to their participation in the
\nGrand Prix Finals.<\/p>\n
Indonesia only managed two titles, in the men's singles and
\nmixed doubles, in last year's tournament in Singapore. The
\ncountry's top shuttlers ruled the roost in the 1990 tournament in
\nBali where they swept four out of the five titles in convincing
\nfashion.<\/p>\n
Justian Suhandinata of the International Badminton Federation
\nurged the organizing committee to pay more attention to the
\nvenue.<\/p>\n
"I hope we will not repeat what happened in Medan, North
\nSumatra, during the Indonesian Open last August when there were
\nleaks in the venue's roof," he said. (yan)<\/p>",
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