Candra and Sigit team up again to win Japan Open
Candra and Sigit team up again to win Japan Open
TOKYO (AFP): Indonesia's Sydney Olympic champion Candra Wijaya appeared happy teaming up with his old partner Sigit Budiarto to win the men's doubles title at the US$180,000 Japan Open badminton tournament on Sunday.
The 1997 world champions, both 25 now, powered their way through to a convincing 15-7, 15-11 victory over the Danish duo of Martin Lundgaard Hansen and Lars Paaske in the final.
"We teamed together again from this year at the Korean Open in January. I had a long break after the Sydney Olympics and we couldn't do well in Korea. But we reached the final at All England," said Candra.
"Since before we left Indonesia, we have been concentrating really well on winning this title, because this is one of our biggest goals this season. We were able to concentrate 100 percent on this tournament."
The golden couple split after Sigit failed to pass a doping test at the Singapore Open in August 1998 and was banned for a year before coming back to compete at the China Open in November 1999.
Candra paired with Tony Gunawan to win the Japan Open last year at his second attempt here, and went on to win the gold medal in Sydney with him.
"It was really a tough and sad period, but I just tried to practice hard thinking nothing of the past but only of the future. So I'm really happy now and it's the proof of how miserable I was," said Sigit.
"Because his partner won the gold medal in the Olympics while he had been banned," joked Candra at his side in a post-match interview.
"We played together from the beginning and he won the Olympic gold. I'm determined to win the same medal with him. First of all, we are going to aim for winning the world championships next month," said Sigit.
"We are still not good enough in every aspect, technically, mentally and physically, comparing with when we were together before. We have to work harder to improve our game," said Candra.
"It was also a good pair with Tony, but I'm going to make a better team with Sigit. The Athens Olympics are a bit too far. We just try to improve our game and win a tournament one by one," he added.
Indonesia's squad also had another joy Sunday as new partnership of Bambang Suprianto and Minarti Timur managed to grab their first title in a tournament after being paired together in November.
Bambang and Minarti, who previously partnered with Tri Kusheryanto for Sydney 2000 Olympics silver medal, had to sweat out before squashing Liu Yong and Cheng Jiao of China 15-6, 14- 17, 15-5.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Roslin Hashim became the first Malaysian to win the men's singles title by beating Lee Hyung-il of South Korea.
Fresh from his victory at the Swiss Open two weeks ago, the world number three combined his defensive game with an array of successful smashes and attacks to score a 15-11, 15-6 victory in 48 minutes.
In the all-Chinese women's singles final, second seed Zhou Mi powered past third seed Gong Ruina 11-8, 11-0 to win her first Japanese title and the $12,420 top prize.
China also grabbed another title in the women's doubles after Gao Ling and Huang Sui defeated compatriots Huang Nanyan and Yang Wei 15-13, 15-10.
"I took part in the Japan Open three times. I reached the quarterfinals at my first attempt and the semifinals last year. I'm really glad that I won today," said Hashim, 25.
"Especially in my country, I think I put my name in badminton history by winning this title. I'm really happy about that."
Malaysia has won only the men's doubles title at the Japan Open previously with victories by brothers Razif and Jalani Sidek in 1986 and Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock in 1998.
"I'm in my top form right now after winning two tournaments in a row. My next goal is the world championships in May in Spain," said Hashim, who posted his third singles title following the 1998 Dutch Open and Swiss last month.
The victory brought him the winner's check of $14,400.