Gade Christensen aims high at Open
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)