RI teams fall in Asian junior semis<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Local entrants in the team events for boys and girls fell in
\nthe semifinals of the Asian Junior Badminton Championship on
\nTuesday, although the boys came agonizingly close to causing an
\nupset.<\/p>\n
The boys' team lost a thriller to South Korea 2-3, while the
\ngirls' team was handily defeated 1-3 by favorite China at the
\nSenayan Indoor Tennis Stadium in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian boys took a 1-0 lead when first singles Adnan
\nFauzi beat Choi Sang Won 15-13, 15-12. However, Korea, which has
\nbeen among the main contenders in the under-19 tournament in
\nrecent years along with China, leveled at 1-1 after doubles pair
\nLee Young Dae\/Cho Gun Woo defeated Tantowi Ahmad\/Syarifudin 15-4,
\n15-12.<\/p>\n
Korea took the lead when Han Ki Hoon beat Sakti Kusuma 15-11,
\n15-12, but Indonesia fought back to level at 2-2 after Viki Indra
\nOkvana\/Mohammad Ahsan crushed Kwon Yi Goo\/Shon Wan Ho 15-12, 15-
\n5.<\/p>\n
It all came down to the final singles, but local hope
\nAdityawarman Andreas succumbed to Hong Ji Hoon 15-9, 13-15, 8-13,
\nretiring due to a right thigh injury as the Korean neared
\nvictory.<\/p>\n
China thrashed Malaysia 3-0 in the other semifinal.<\/p>\n
First singles Chen Tianyu beat Chong Wei Fong 15-0,
\n8-15, 15-0, followed by the victory of Shen Ye\/Zhang Wei over Tan
\nBoon Heong\/Goh Ying Jing 15-8, 15-11. Lu Qicheng edged Daren Hew
\n15-7, 15-12.<\/p>\n
In the girls' team competition, Indonesian first singles
\nBellaetrix Manuputty lost to Wang Lin 6-11, 4-11, while second
\nsingles Rosaria Pungkasari fell to Wang Yihan 8-11, 2-11.<\/p>\n
Indonesia kept the tie alive after Pia Zebadiah Bernadit
\ndefeated Tai Yi 11-2, 11-9, but the doubles pair of Gresya
\nPolii\/Nitya Krisinda M Korwa went down tamely to Liao
\nJingmei\/Cheng Shu 6-15, 8-15.<\/p>\n
In the final, China will meet Malaysia, which upset the
\nformbooks with a 3-0 triumph over South Korean.<\/p>\n
Malaysian first singles Horsyahliza Baharum beat Jang Soo
\nYoung 11-1, 8-11, 11-2, and Julia Wong Pei Xia overcame Choi Joi
\nMin 5-11, 11-2, 11-2. Lydia Cheah Li-Ya outlasted Yoo Hyun Young
\n4-11, 11-4, 11-9 to take the tie.<\/p>\n
\"We did not expect our girls team to go this far to the
\nfinal,\" Malaysian head coach Rashid Sidek said. \"Usually we lose
\nto Korea and Japan, but we beat them this time thanks to our good
\ntalent.\"<\/p>\n
He admitted it would be a tough task for his team to overcome
\nthe Chinese.<\/p>\n
\"Our players have nothing to lose tomorrow (Wednesday), and
\nwill play their best,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The finals will be held on Wednesday starting at 8 a.m.,
\nfollowed by the beginning of the individual competitions at 1
\np.m.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-teams-fall-in-asian-junior-semis-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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