Third place good enough for RI to reach Uber Cup finals: Coach<\/p>\n
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia will only need to finish third in the Uber Cup (women's
\nchampionship) Asia Oceania zone semifinal round to qualify for
\nthe finals in May, but Indonesian head coach Christian Hadinata
\nsaid on Tuesday that the team would not take the matches lightly.<\/p>\n
Christian, a former doubles specialist, said Indonesia would
\nfield its best lineup for the matches to be played in Melbourne,
\nAustralia next February.<\/p>\n
\"We will have to use the best of our women shuttlers, be it
\nsenior or junior ones. We will have them all well prepared,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"I will take into consideration advice from other coaches
\nbefore naming the team. It is the coaches who know the shuttlers
\nbest ... and I have to trust them.\"<\/p>\n
Christian mentioned long-time rivals Japan and South Korea as
\nthe major obstacles for Indonesia while Chinese Taipei, Hong
\nKong, Malaysia and Thailand could also pose a threat considering
\nIndonesia's waning strength recently.<\/p>\n
The other semifinal round will be held in Eindhoven, the
\nNetherlands, with participants mainly coming from European
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
Havana played host to a qualifying stage for the Latin
\nAmerican region last week. The United States qualified for both
\nthe Thomas Cup (men's championships) and the Uber Cup semifinals
\nin Eindhoven.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian men's team automatically qualified for the
\nThomas Cup because they are the reigning champions.<\/p>\n
\"Usually, there are three berths from the two semifinal groups
\nplus two automatic bids for the host and reigning champs. But
\nthis time China is both host and champions so there is one more
\nberth on offer in the Uber Cup,\" Christian said.<\/p>\n
He said he had heard that the additional berth will likely be
\non offer in Melbourne, meaning that the top four teams from the
\nAustralian round will qualify for the finals compared to three
\nfrom the Eindhoven event.<\/p>\n
Christian said the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI)
\nhad yet to be officially notified about the additional bid.<\/p>\n
\"The European countries may complain so I think it will be
\nbetter for us to secure at least third place in Melbourne,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"If we finish fourth, we may have to take on Europe's fourth
\nfinisher in a playoff to qualify for the finals.\"<\/p>\n
Spearheaded by Olympic champion Susi Susanti and young
\nsensation Mia Audina, Indonesia beat South Korea in Jakarta in
\n1994 to regain the Uber Cup after a 19-year drought. They went on
\nto defend the trophy two years later in Hong Kong after defeating
\nChina, but China seized it back in 1998, also in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
In the last Uber Cup finals in Kuala Lumpur last year,
\nIndonesia lost to Denmark in the semifinals.<\/p>\n
Christian admitted it would be a tough time for Indonesia to
\nsurvive the Melbourne test with the current group of shuttlers
\navailable at the training center in Cipayung, East Jakarta.<\/p>",
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