Sigit still listed for Thomas Cup team<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's best doubles player Sigit Budiarto
\nwill still prepare for the 1998 Thomas Cup championships in Hong
\nKong in May, the Badminton Association of Indonesia's deputy,
\nMangombar Ferdinand Siregar, said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He said that although Sigit had to rest due to a stomach
\nulcer, the shuttler would still have a chance to partner with
\nCandra Wijaya in the country's Thomas Cup squad.<\/p>\n
\"They are the best doubles in the world and world champions.
\nOf course, we'll focus on them for the Thomas Cup,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Siregar said Sigit's absence in the Swedish Open, All England
\nchampionships and the Swiss Open in March was not because the
\nassociation had sanctioned the shuttler, who won the 1997 World
\nChampionships title with Candra.<\/p>\n
The association decided to field Candra with Tony Gunawan in
\nthe three tournaments. The new partnership won the Copenhagen
\nMaster late last year.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that teaming Candra and Tony was part of the
\nassociation's strategy to face the Thomas Cup championships.<\/p>\n
\"Other world men's doubles had studied Sigit and Candra's
\nplaying and we wanted to surprise them by not fielding Sigit this
\ntime,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Badminton National Center director, Christian Hadinata,
\nsaid he would discuss the change with coach Atik Jauhari and both
\nSigit and Candra.<\/p>\n
\"We considered not fielding Sigit in the three tournaments and
\nwe've told him our reasons. We asked him to still prepare himself
\nin case. But the most important thing, there must be
\nunderstanding between Candra and Sigit to help us solve any
\nproblems,\" Christian said, as quoted by Kompas daily.<\/p>\n
Christian said the doubles were ready to win the 2000 Olympics
\nin Sydney, Australia.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Sigit said he never guessed he would not be fielded
\nin the three tournaments.<\/p>\n
\"The All England became my personal target after I and Candra
\nfailed last year. And I don't have any problems with my partner,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Sigit and Candra only reached the All England semifinals.<\/p>\n
However, Sigit said he would have difficulty in preparing for
\nthe Thomas Cup championships if he could not compete in previous
\ntournaments.<\/p>\n
\"I need a real competitive situation to prepare myself and I
\nthink the time between the Japan Open in early January and the
\nThomas Cup championships in May is too far between for me,\" he
\nsaid. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sigit-still-listed-for-thomas-cup-team-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}