Gade Christensen aims high at Open
JAKARTA (JP): A poor performance makes athletes eager to break the jinx. This is the case with Peter Gade Christensen of Denmark, who wants to improve on his past performances in the US$150,000 Sanyo Indonesia Open at the Senayan Tennis Indoor Stadium.
Speaking at a media conference on Tuesday, Gade Christensen said competing in the Indonesia Open was difficult because Indonesian shuttlers always did well at home.
"But I want to prove that I can go further, into the semifinals and final of the tournament this year. With a tough draw in the tournament, I just want to take one step at a time," he said.
Gade Christensen, currently ranked number one in the world, is scheduled to face Indonesian second-stringer Ronny Agustinus in the first round of the tournament on Wednesday morning. He lost to Marlev Mainaky of Indonesia in the quarterfinals last year in Bali.
"I'm not saying that I'm going to win this year, as I have to meet Ronny and it's a very hard first round. But I'm quite satisfied with my performance the last four years in the tournament."
"I won the Malaysian Open last year so I think I can also win here. I have a chance to become the first Danish player to win the tournament," said the top seed, who has chosen to skip the Malaysian Open this year because it is too close to the Olympics.
Since being staged for the first time in 1982, only four foreign players -- Han Jian of China in 1985, Yang Yang of China in 1987, Xiong Guobao of China in 1989 and Yong Hock Kin of Malaysia in 1998 -- have won the men's singles title at the Indonesian Open.
The 22-year-old Dutch player admitted he was not in his top form. "Actually, I'm not at my best due to the preparations for the Olympic Games, but my physical fitness is good enough."
Gade Christensen, who aims to win gold at the Olympics, sees world champion Sun Jun of China as a tough competitor in the tournament, besides the local shuttlers, including defending champion Taufik Hidayat and second-seeded Hendrawan.
World number seven Taufik has confirmed his participation in the July 19 to July 23 event, following reports that he might withdraw due to a back injury.
Hendrawan, who won the three-star Thailand Open last week, is also eying a victory in this tournament.
"With only the three titles I have won as a shuttler, of course I want to add more. But competing in the Indonesia Open is always tough because I have to face my teammates, and it's always difficult for me," he said in a telephone interview.
Earlier, Mia Audina, who now competes for the Netherlands, said she was confident going into the event.
"I want to win the women's singles title here as I did in 1998. I think the draw is good enough for me," she said following a practice session.
Third-seeded Mia is scheduled to face local shuttler Budiani in the second round, after receiving a bye in the first round.
Mia said her toughest competition in the tournament would be Camilla Martin of Denmark, who is currently ranked first in the world.
The chairwoman of the tournament's organizing committee, Mimi Irawan, said the event's organizers, IMG and RCTI, had considered the security factor in planning the event. The final of the tournament will take place at the same time as the final of the Bank Mandiri national soccer league at Senayan Stadium on Sunday.
"We have arranged everything and RCTI, as the official broadcaster, has decided to stage the soccer league final at 4:30 p.m. Jakarta time and the badminton final at 6 p.m. Jakarta time," she said.
International Badminton Federation vice president Justian Suhandinata expressed gratitude to the participants, saying the increased number of competitors, including shuttlers from China and South Korea, which had been absent from the tournament since 1997, demonstrated the improving conditions in Indonesia. (yan)