RI team manager uses underdog tag to inspire<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Even though there is little hope riding on the women's players,
\nthey should be motivated enough to beat the pretournament
\nbillings at the next Sudirman Cup mixed badminton championship,
\nsaidteam manager Christian Hadinata on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The 18-strong team played a simulation match against a group
\nof noncompeting players on Thursday ahead of their departure to
\nthe world's championship, which will be staged in Eindhoven, the
\nNetherlands, from March 18 through March 23.<\/p>\n
While the men's players maintain hopes of contributing points
\nto the team, women's team players are facing the grim prospect of
\ngoing up against the likes of China, South Korea and Denmark.<\/p>\n
However, Christian, who is also the director of the Cipayung
\nTraining Center in East Jakarta, tried to boost the players'
\nmorale by hinting that there could be possible benefits from
\nbeing underestimated.<\/p>\n
\"They should beat the odds that are stacked against them. They
\nshould be motivated. They should be geared up to prove that they
\ncan do their best for the team,\" he said when contacted by The
\nJakarta Post here on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Christian said the simulation matches would help the players
\ndetect their weak spots and improve them within the space of less
\nthan a week.<\/p>\n
On the team is Taufik Hidayat, who is still nursing his
\nnagging ligament injury he sustained during the 2001 World
\nChampionship in Seville, Spain.<\/p>\n
The injury haunted the 21-year-old star as it cost him dearly
\nat the recent All England where he crashed out in the opening
\nstage.<\/p>\n
\"We have put Taufik on the list submitted to the Sudirman Cup
\ncommittee last week. He is undergoing therapy and I hope he will
\nrecover in time,\" Christian said.<\/p>\n
The team has two more options in the men's singles as it will
\nalso have Asian champion Sony Dwi Kuncoro and Budi Santoso.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Sudirman Cup organizing committee confirmed
\nthat 51 nations would join the championship with an overall 581
\nplayers.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is drawn against European leading teams Denmark and
\nEngland in Pool B of Group 1. Pool A groups reigning champion
\nChina, South Korea and Thailand.<\/p>\n
The top two teams of each group will proceed to the
\nsemifinals, while the team that comes in third place will be
\npitted against the teams of Group 2 in the playoffs.<\/p>\n
Indonesia won the biennial Sudirman Cup, which is named after
\nits badminton figure, when it was played for the first time in
\nJakarta in 1989.<\/p>\n
The trophy has eluded Indonesia since then, with Korea
\ncapturing the top spot in the following two games and China
\ntriumphing in the last four.<\/p>\n
The team players vying for the Sudirman Cup: Taufik Hidayat, Budi
\nSantoso, Sony Dwi Kuncoro (men's singles); Candra Wijaya, Sigit
\nBudiarto, Halim Haryanto, Luluk Hadiyanto, Alven Yulianto (men's
\ndoubles); Tri Kusharyanto, Nova Widianto, Vita Marissa, Emma
\nErmawati, (mixed doubles); Dewi Tira Arisandi, Maria Kristin
\n(women's singles); Jo Novita, Lita Nurlita, Eny Erlangga and
\nLilyana Natsir (women's doubles).<\/p>",
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