Bimantara vs Djarum at badminton final
JAKARTA (JP): The top two seeded clubs, Bimantara Tangkas and Djarum Kudus, won their semi-final matches to set up a showdown at the national badminton championships final in Denpasar, Bali, today.
Bimantara was left trailing before winning the deciding mixed doubles match, just edging out a Susi Susanti-led Jaya Raya 3-2 in a hard-fought semifinal played at Yuwana Mandala sports hall on Thursday.
In the other semifinal, Djarum lived up to its billing as the "stable" of badminton greats by trouncing SGS Bandung 4-1.
The week-long badminton event is using the Sudirman Cup mixed team championships format, in which each team fields women's and men's singles, men's and women's doubles and mixed doubles players.
A superb partnership of Susi and women's doubles specialist Finarsih gave Jaya Raya an opening lead with a 15-3, 15-13 win over Eliza and Sarwendah. Bimantara drew the score level through world men's doubles number one Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky, who overpowered Bambang Suprianto and Toni G. 15- 2, 15-9.
Jaya Raya kept up its charge when Mia Audina rallied to a three-set 11-3, 1-11, 11-6 victory over her senior, Meiluawati, in the women's singles. But Jaya Raya's celebration was short- lived as stalwart Hermawan Susanto downed Steve Mantou 15-3, 15-7 for a 2-2 tie.
An unusual mixed doubles pairing of Rexy and Eliza gave Bimantara its final berth, defeating the first-time partnership of Susi and Bambang 15-13, 15-8 in less than an hour.
"We have done our best, but we slipped in the last rubber," Jaya Raya's team manager Retno Kustiyah said after her team's upset loss.
Advantage
Badminton giant Djarum Kudus, taking advantage of Pelita Jaya's unexpected withdrawal, easily raced to an unassailable 3-0 lead against its Bandung, West Java-based rival.
Uber Cup team member Yuliani Sentosa had little trouble dispatching Reni Handayani 11-2, 11-4. Ardy Wiranata put his side 2-0 up after crushing national second stringer George Richmardi 15-8, 15-4.
The Central Java-based club clinched its final slot as Minarti Timur and Zelin Resiana hardly raised a sweat in beating Resyen and Sumiati 15-6, 15-2. German Open champions Antonius and Denny Kantono confirmed Djarum's superiority with an effortless 15-7, 15-7 win over Paulus and Flandy.
SGS earned a consolation when Flandy and Dede Hasanah defeated Rudy Gunawan Haditono and Minarti 15-11, 15-7 in a lackluster final rubber, in a match reduced to an academic interest.
"We share an equal chance to bring home the title," Bimantara team manager Lius Pongoh said about the final encounter with Djarum. Lius hinted that world men's singles champion Joko Suprianto will step onto the court in today's final. (amd)