Ardy beats Dong to confirm comeback

Ardy beats Dong to confirm comeback

TOKYO (Agencies): Indonesia's three-time Japan Open champion Ardy Wiranata beat top seed Dong Jiong of China yesterday to prove he is back on top form after being sidelined with hepatitis for eight months.

Ardy, the winner here in 1991, 1992 and 1994, breezed past Japan's Hiroyuki Yamaguchi 15-9, 15-4 earlier in the day and went on to win his second-round match against the world number two 18- 13, 15-6 in the US$170,000 tournament.

"I was ill after the Thomas Cup last year and I couldn't practice for more than three months," said Wiranata after the 50- minute match against the Atlanta Olympics silver medalist.

"Although I played the Thailand Open in November, this is virtually the first tournament since I started practicing properly about six weeks ago. I'm delighted to have defeated the top seed on the first day," he added.

Ardy, who has not won a title since the 1995 Indonesian Open, said he has recovered about 75 or 80 percent of his form.

In the third round today, he will take on Henrik Bengtsson of Sweden, who saw off joint ninth seed Kim Hak-kyun of South Korea 15-4, 6-15, 15-10 and Japan's Hidetaka Yamada 15-9, 15-6.

AFP reported that six other seeds crashed out yesterday, including world number four Fung Permadi, an Indonesian shuttler who plays for China Taipei, who was beaten by Henrik Sorensen of Denmark 13-18, 11-15 in the first round.

"I've never played him (Permadi) before, but I saw him last week in Taiwan when another Danish player, Peter Gade Christensen, beat him there. I think the key was my motivation," said Sorensen, ranked 154th, who advanced to the third round by beating Han Dong-Sung of South Korea 15-12, 17-14.

Joint fifth seeds Ong Ewe Hock of Malaysia, Sung Jun of China, and ninth seed Salim of Indonesia also went out, with the women's fifth seeds Lidya Djaelawidjaya and Meiluawati from Indonesia.

Other top favorites -- led by Olympic champion Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen of Denmark in the men's and silver winner Mia Audina of Indonesia in the women's -- scored two-game wins.

Mia cruised into the second round after beating Dane Lotte Thomsen 11-1, 11-3. Today, she will meet Marina Andrievskaya of Sweden, who won against Satomi Igawa of Japan 11-5, 11-6.

But Camilla Martin of Denmark, the European champion, who won the Taipei Open title, needed a tough three games to beat Dai Yun of China 11-5, 4-11, 11-8.

Doubles

Indonesia's three men's doubles Ricky Subagdja/Rexy Mainaky, Antonius/Denny Kantono and Sigit Budiarto/Chandra Wijaya all progressed to the next round.

Top seed Ricky/Rexy, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist, easily won over Tam Lok Tin/Chan Siu Kwong of Hong Kong 15-3, 15-1. The duo, dubbed as the double Rs, face Chinese pair of Ge Cheng/Tao Xiaoqiang today.

The 1996 Olympic bronze medalist Antonius/Denny beat Mike Beres/Bryan Moody of Canada 15-3, 15-7. They will be challenged by Japanese duo Takuya Katayama/Yuso Kuboto, who won walkover against Malaysians Fredyno Saha/Eddeeza Saha.

Antara reported that juniors Sigit/Chandra, the Chinese Taipei Open champion last week, cruised to the next round after eliminating host duo Seiichi Watanabe/Fumihiko Machida 15-3, 15- 10.

Unfortunately teammates Rudy Wijaya/Tony Gunawan failed to go through to the next round after they lost to Kitikul Kitipon/Pramote Teerawiwatna of Thailand 10-15, 13-15.

In the women's doubles, the newly formed partnership of Susi Susanti, the 1992 Olympic gold medalist, and Finarsih successfully beat Kaori Mori/Naoko Miyake of Japan 15-3, 15-5.

Susi/Finarsih will have to overcome Marlene Thomsen/Lisbet Stuer Lauridsen of Denmark today.

Another national women's doubles Elyza/Zelin Resiana received a bye in the first round.