China poses early tests to Indonesia
China poses early tests to Indonesia
JAKARTA (JP): Young Chinese players will give Indonesian men's
singles top seeds early tests when they clash in the first round
of the China Open badminton championships in Chengdu today.
Indonesian top seed Joko Suprianto plays Lin Liwen, second
seed Alan Budikusuma faces Xie Yangchun and third seed Ardy
Wiranata takes on Yang Zhuo.
Joko, ranked second in the world, is poised to continue his
winning streak after his triumph in the World Cup in September
and in the German Open last month.
Former world champion Joko is expected to meet China's
Sudirman Cup hero Sun Jun or Malaysia's number one Rashid Sidek
in Friday's quarterfinals.
Alan took only a three-day rest after the Hong Kong Open
before making his title defense attempt in China. Alan lost to
world champion and compatriot Heriyanto Arbi in Hong Kong's final
on Sunday.
In the women's singles, top seed Susi Susanti will start her
campaign against a qualifier today. Susi is seeking revenge for
her three successive defeats to her Chinese arch-rival Ye
Zhaoying.
Susi and Ye, however, look to face a daunting challenge on
their way to a rematch. Susi has to overcome another big nemesis,
Bang Soo-hyun of South Korea in the semifinals. Second seed Ye is
expected to set up a semifinal replay against Indonesian teenager
Mia Audina, her conqueror in the Hong Kong Open semifinals last
week.
Mia, who fell in the final hurdle to Bang in Hong Kong, will
play a warm-up match against a qualifier in the opening round.
Indonesia is fielding a second string team of Tony Gunawan and
Rudy Wijaya in the men's doubles. Tony and Rudy are one of three
pairs who beat world number one Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky,
also from Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the International Badminton Federation released on
Monday the latest world grand prix rankings which saw Bang
leapfrog Susi. Bang now lies second behind leader Lim Xiaoqing of
Sweden, following her triumph in Hong Kong.
The men's singles list kept Heriyanto on top, thanks to his
Sunday victory. Hermawan Susanto is second, followed by All-
England champion Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen of Denmark. (amd)