RI's 2nd stringer
\nsteals spotlight
\nin Malaysia Open<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian second stringer Hendrawan stole the
\nspotlight at the Malaysia Open badminton championships in Johor
\nBaru as he upset the newly crowned Asia Cup champion Dong Jiong
\nof China in their third round duel yesterday.<\/p>\n
Hendrawan, displayed his superb defense and, against all odds,
\ntook out the attack-minded Dong to claim a 12-15, 15-9, 15-10 win
\nfor a quarterfinal ticket.<\/p>\n
Dong was considered to be a real menace to Indonesia's reign
\nin badminton for his giant-killing victories over world number
\none Joko Suprianto and All-England champion Hariyanto Arbi at the
\nAsia Cup two weeks ago.<\/p>\n
The Chinese rising star unleased his searing smashes to take
\nthe first set. However, Dong ran out of steam to match Hendrawan
\nstroke for stroke as he was kept trailing in the next sets.<\/p>\n
Olympic champion Alan Budikusuma proved he was still among the
\nplayers to watch. In-form Alan, who is renowned for his erratic
\nrecord, did everything right in his 15-12, 15-8 win over Dane
\nnumber one Thomas Stuer Lauridsen.<\/p>\n
But defending champion Ardy Wiranata failed to overcome the
\nuphill challenge of unheralded Hu Zhilan of China. Ardy suffered
\na 9-15, 15-1, 11-15 humiliation which marred Indonesia's charge
\nof repeating last year's success when it won three titles.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, Indonesia gained mixed results as world
\nnumber one Susi Susanti led an under form women's squad to
\nsurvive their opening round battle.<\/p>\n
Defending champion and top seeded Susi, making her first
\nappearance since giving Indonesia its 19-year-awaited Uber Cup
\nvictory last May, appeared troubled by her Taiwanese rival, Jeng
\nShen-jen, but managed to storm to a 11-6, 11-4 win.<\/p>\n
Uber Cup heroine Mia Audina played an aggressive but error-
\nprone match against Japanese fellow Uber Cupper Takako Ida. The
\n14-year-old Indonesian struggled before easing past the nail-
\nbiter 12-11, 11-0 for a second round place.<\/p>\n
Remy Handayani, a second stringer who dominates the Indonesian
\nteam's lineup, surprised the crowd as she scalped last year's
\nfinalist Lim Xiaoqing of Sweden. Remy shrugged off her wide world
\nranking margin against her China-born Swede opponent, playing
\ngamely to claim a 11-8, 6-11, 12-10 hard-earned victory.<\/p>\n
First casualty<\/p>\n
Erratic Yuliani Sentosa became Indonesia's first major
\ncasualty. The joint fifth seed, who secured the all-important win
\nin Indonesia's 4-1 trouncing over South Korea in the Uber Cup
\nsemifinals, bowed out 12-10, 8-11, 5-11 to little known
\nHu Ning of China.<\/p>\n
Second stringers Kristin Yunita and Meuliawati joined Yuliani
\nto pack their bags early. Kristin crashed to South Korean number
\nthree, Lee Joo-hyun, 9-12, 7-11, while Meuliawati was outclassed
\nby lanky South Korean Ra Kyung-min, joint fifth seed here, 3-11,
\n6-11.<\/p>\n
Junior player Ika Henny gave the Indonesian side a consolation
\nas she breezed past Misako Sakamoto of Japan 11-4, 11-4.<\/p>\n
Chinese second seed Ye Zhaoying lived up to her billing as a
\nmenace for Susi's title defense campaign with a comfortable
\nstraight set 11-1, 11-4 victory over Norashikin Amin of Malaysia.
\nFellow Chinese Zang Ning also produced another easy win as she
\noverpowered Malaysia's Leong Yeng Cheng 11-3, 11-3.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday night, top seed Joko Suprianto lead Indonesia's
\nmen's singles players to safely cruised to the third round of the
\nUS$180,000 tournament.<\/p>\n
Joko played aggressively to beat his Malaysian second stringer
\nPang Chen 15-7, 15-4 as title holder Ardy Wiranata gave no mercy
\nto Malaysia's Shim Kai Wei 15-5, 15-5<\/p>\n
Indonesia's second best Lioe Tiong Ping continued his flawless
\nshowing with a major upset victory over world beater Pontus
\nJantii of Finland 15-9, 15-4 for a third round berth.<\/p>\n
Olympic bronze medalist Hermawan Susanto, however, had his
\nback to the wall in his rematch against Sun Jun of China. Sun,
\nbeaten by Hermawan in three sets in Indonesia's 5-0 rout over
\nChina in their Thomas Cup duel, forced a tie at 4-15, 15-4 but
\ncould not avoid a retirement in the exhausting match. Sun trailed
\n12-14 in the decider when he opted to leave the court. (amd)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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