Ricky and Rexy ready for hardest post-Atlanta test<\/p>\n
By Primastuti Handayani<\/p>\n
NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): Indonesia's men's doubles stars Ricky
\nSubagja and Rexy Mainaky see the Lipton World Grand Prix
\nBadminton Finals as their greatest test since their victory at
\nthe Centennial Olympic in Atlanta, Georgia.<\/p>\n
The Olympic gold medalists promise to perform at their best in
\nthe tournament, which runs for five days from today at the Juana
\nMandala Stadium, after their three-month lay-off and their loss
\nin the second round of the Hong Kong Open.<\/p>\n
\"This is the best Grand Prix series and I really want to show
\noff my best skills,\" Rexy told Kompas and The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Ricky and Rexy, dubbed the double Rs, missed last year's final
\nin Singapore, which is the climax of the 19 annual Grand Prix
\nseries tournaments, because Ricky was ill.<\/p>\n
\"We took part in the Hong Kong Open as preparation for this
\nevent and to readjust to a competitive situation,\" Rexy said.<\/p>\n
Ricky\/Rexy are in the same group as their archrivals Cheah
\nSoon Kit\/Yap Kim Hock of Malaysia, who took the Olympic silver,
\nin the US$350,000 event.<\/p>\n
Compatriots Antonius\/Denny Kantono and Chandra Wijaya\/Sigit
\nare in group B together with Jon Holst-Christensen\/Thomas Lund of
\nDenmark and Choong Tan Fook\/Lee Wan Wah of Malaysia.<\/p>\n
\"We have to fight real hard from the initial match, as we have
\nto be the group's winner,\" Rexy said.<\/p>\n
He said that fighting against Cheah\/Yap at home should not be
\nas hard as it was in Atlanta.<\/p>\n
\"Now we are more relaxed and we don't have any burdens,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Rudy Hartono of the Badminton Association of Indonesia
\nexpected an all-Indonesian final in the men's doubles.<\/p>\n
\"We still see Cheah\/Yap as the toughest rivals but they lost
\nto our juniors before and I believe that their chances are not
\nthat good,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Cheah\/Yap were beaten by another national pair, Chandra\/Sigit,
\nat the US Open Championships in September.<\/p>\n
Rudy warned Indonesia's Joko Suprianto to be aware of young
\nChinese shuttlers, particularly Dong Jiong and Sun Jun.<\/p>\n
\"They are young and still on the up. They can cause Joko
\nproblems,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Joko is in the same group as Fung Permadi of China Taipei, who
\nused to play for Indonesia, Chen Gang of China and Dane Martin
\nLundgaard Hansen.<\/p>\n
Olympic gold medalist Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen is in the same
\ngroup as Alan Budikusuma, the 1992 Olympic gold medalist, rookie
\nBudi Santoso, finalist of the Indonesia Open in Medan, North
\nSumatra in August, and Hu Zhilan of China.<\/p>\n
Good chance<\/p>\n
According to Rudi, Susi Susanti, who has won the title five
\ntimes, has a good chance of winning the tournament again as her
\nmain rival, Bang Soo-hyun of South Korea, is absent as the event
\nclashes with her wedding.<\/p>\n
\"Susi also has to be aware of young Chinese shuttlers like
\nWang Chen and Zeng Yaqiong,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Susi is in the same group as Zeng and Chinese Han Jingna.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's young hope Mia Audina, the Olympic silver
\nmedalist, is in the same group as Gong Zhichao of China and
\nChristina Gandrup of Sweden.<\/p>\n
Rudi said that Indonesia's women's doubles and mixed doubles
\nteams will face stiff challenges from China and Denmark to reach
\nthe finals.<\/p>\n
\"If they can even get to the final, it'll be a big achievement
\nfor them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The International Badminton Federation guaranteed that the
\ntournament's matches would not last after midnight.<\/p>\n
David Shaw, a spokesman for the federation, said yesterday
\nthat the preliminary round matches are to start at 5.00 p.m.
\nCentral Indonesian Time, which is one hour ahead of Jakarta time.<\/p>\n
\"We are likely to play close to midnight. But hopefully, we
\ncan finish by 11.30 local time,\" Shaw said.<\/p>\n
\"We want to attract more families to watch the matches.
\nFamilies won't watch until one or two in the morning,\" he added.<\/p>\n
When he was asked whether starting at 5.00 p.m. was not too
\nlate, Shaw said that the purpose is to wait until people come
\nhome from work.<\/p>\n
From today through Friday, eight matches will be featured
\ndaily at the three-court stadium.<\/p>\n
Hong Kong-based Star TV, in cooperation with Indonesia's
\nIndosiar, will air the semifinals and finals live on Saturday and
\nSunday.<\/p>\n
The tickets cost Rp 5,000 and Rp 7,500.<\/p>\n
Grouping<\/p>\n
Men's singles:
\n Group A: Joko Suprianto (Ina) Fung Permadi (Tpe) Chen Gang (Chn)<\/p>\n
Martin Lundgaard Hansen (Den)
\n Group B: Dong Jiong (Chn) Ong Ewe Hock (Mas) Thomas Stuer-<\/p>\n
Lauridsen (Den) Indra Wijaya (Ina)
\n Group C: Rashid Sidek (Mas) Sun Jun (Chn) Hermawan Susanto (Ina)<\/p>\n
Soren B Nielsen (Den)
\n Group D: Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen (Den) Alan Budikusuma (Ina) Budi<\/p>\n
Santoso (Ina) Hu Zhilan (Chn)<\/p>\n
Women's singles
\n Group A: Mia Audina (Ina) Gong Zhichao (Chn)<\/p>\n
Christina Grandup (Swe)
\n Group B: Ye Zhaoying (Chn) Meiluawati (Ina) Yao Yan (Chn)
\n Group C: Wang Chen (Chn) Camilla Martin (Den)<\/p>\n
Lidya Djaelawidjaya (Ina)
\n Group D: Susi Susanti (Ina) Zeng Yaqiong (Chn) Han Jingna (Chn)<\/p>\n
Men's doubles:
\n Group A: Cheah Soon Kit\/Yap Kim Hock (Mas) Ricky Subagja\/Rexy
\n Mainaky (Ina) Tony Gunawan\/Rudy Wijaya (Ina) Peter Axelsson\/Par-
\n Gunnar Jonsson (Swe)
\n Group B: Denny Kantono\/Antonius (Ina) Chandra Wijaya\/Sigit (Ina)
\n Jon Holst-Christensen\/Thomas Lund (Den) Choong Tan Fook\/Lee Wan
\n Wah (Mas)<\/p>\n
Women's doubles:
\n Group A: Indarti Isolina\/Deyana Lomban (Ina) Lisbet Stuer-
\n Lauridsen\/Marlene Thomsen (Den) Qin Yiyuan\/Tang Yongshu (Chn)
\n Christina Gandrup\/Marina Andrievskaya (Swe)
\n Group B: Eliza\/Zelin Rosiana (Ina) Ge Fei\/Gu Jun (Chn) Helen
\n Kirkegaard\/Rikke Olsen (Den) Nicola Beck\/Joanne Davies (Gbr)<\/p>\n
Mixed doubles:
\n Group A: Trikus Heryanto\/Minarti Timur (Ina) Chen Xingdong\/Peng
\n Xingyong (Chn) Thomas Stavngaard\/Ann Jorgensen (Den) Chris
\n Hunt\/Helene Kirkegaard (Gbr\/Den)
\n Group B: Michael Sogaard\/Rikke Olsen (Den) Flandy Limpele\/Risyeu
\n Rosalina (Ina) Nick Ponting\/Joanne Goode (Gbr) Peter
\n Axelsson\/Catrine Bengtsson (Swe)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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