Ardy jumps 10 spots in world badminton rankings

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian veteran Ardy B. Wiranata ranking has jumped from 19th to ninth after his win in the Indonesian Open last week in Surakarta, Central Java.

It was his second win this year after the Swedish Open in March.

All England champion and World Championship winner Chinese Dong Jiong remains the world's number one men's player in the latest rankings released yesterday, despite his absence from the Indonesian Open.

Indonesia's Marleve Mainaky, who was a finalist in last week's Open, rose from 54th to 24th.

Indonesia's Joko Suprianto, who missed the Surakarta tournament, is placed fifth and Hariyanto Arbi sixth.

Junior Budi Santoso is 10th, while Indra Wijaya is 15th, followed by 1992 Olympic gold medalist Alan Budikusuma.

In the women's rankings, Indonesia Open champion Susi Susanti, who retained her title for the sixth time, replaced China's Gong Zhichao as the world's second top player. Gong dropped to third.

All England champion and World Championship winner Chinese Ye Zhaoying, who missed the Indonesian Open, remained the world number one.

Mia Audina was ranked sixth, behind Dane Camilla Martin.

Indonesia's men's doubles pair of Candra Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto remained on top following by Olympic gold medalists Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky.

Malaysian Olympic silver medalists Cheah Soon Kit/Yap Kim Hock dropped from second to third.

Chinese women's duo Ge Fei/Gu Jun stayed in the number one spot, trailed by compatriots Qin Yiyuan/Tang Yongshu.

Indonesian Open winners Eliza/Zelin Resiana kept their number three ranking.

In mixed doubles Indonesia's Tri Kusherjanto/Minarti Timur were in the third position after Chinese Ge Fei/Liu Yong and Danes Jens Eriksen/Marlene Thomsen.

Meanwhile Antara reported that Badminton Association of Indonesia chairman Soerjadi said the association had to work to overcome the limitations badminton faced in Indonesia.

"We lack facilities, communications and other things which can influence our program and boost our athletes achievements," he told officials of the associations West Sumatra branch in Padang on Tuesday.

He called on officials to create programs which were realistic.

"Don't make programs which are impossible to do," he said.

Leading rankings

Men's singles: 1. Dong Jiong (Chn) 308,60 point 2. Park Sung-woo (SKor) 270,21 3. Sun Jun (Chn) 266,50 4. Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen (Den) 265,40 5. Joko Suprianto (Ina) 264,42 6. Hariyanto Arbi (Ina) 262,67 7. Peter Rasmussen (Den) 257,91 8. Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen (Den) 233,36 9. Ardy B. Wiranata (Ina) 224,40 10. Budi Santoso (Ina) 221,72

Women's singles: 1. Ye Zhaoying (Chn) 361,06 2. Susi Susanti (Ina) 330,45 3. Gong Zhichao (Chn) 302,72 4. Wang Chen (Chn) 277,22 5. Camilla Martin (Den) 269,92 6. Mia Audina (Ina) 267,58 7. Zhang Ning (Chn) 251,40 8. Dai Yun (China) 244,24 9. Ra Kyung-min (SKor) 237,20 10. Kim Ji-hyun (SKor) 229,78