Hariyanto, Martin lost on first day of GP Finals

JAKARTA (JP): Some fancied players will have to work harder today than they anticipated after losing their opening matches of the round-robin section of the 1997 Lipton World Grand Prix Badminton Finals at the Senayan Indoor Stadium yesterday.

The 1995 World Champion, Hariyanto Arbi, who won the Singapore Open in July, had to yield to junior Marlev Mainaky 11-15, 11-15 in 46 minutes.

"Marlev played very well tonight. His smashes were very sharp. I played badly at the net and it gave Marlev opportunities to smash. I could not perform my powerful and speedy smashes as usual," Hariyanto, mostly known as Hari, told a post-match conference.

"This year my form has been very bad. I haven't had any confidence and I've often been impatient in many important matches. My chances in the tournament are slimmer with this loss," he said.

Hari will meet Dane Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen today. Stuer- Lauridsen lost to Sun Jun of China 2-15, 14-18.

Marlev, a younger brother of Indonesia's men's doubles Olympic champion Rexy Mainaky, said: "I was more patient compared with Hari. I didn't have any target in the tournament but only to play my best.

"I met Sun Jun once and I lost to him at the Singapore Open quarterfinals in July. I hope I can overcome him tomorrow," said the Indonesia Open finalist.

In the women's singles, Camilla Martin of Denmark lost to Chinese Wang Chen 7-11, 3-11 in 30 minutes.

Martin, who has just recovered from a back injury, said: "I'm not disappointed with the results because I didn't play well today due to my injury. I've just practiced for about two weeks."

"I got the injury two years ago but two months ago I suffered it again after practicing and it's getting worse. I had to rest for 14 days before I could play. It's really a problem when a player must stop competing for two months," she said.

Martin will meet Indonesia's Mia Audina tomorrow. The 18-year- old Mia challenges Wang today.

Meanwhile, top seeded Peter Gade Christensen of Denmark had to pump out all his energy to tame the 1992 Olympic gold medalist Alan Budikusuma 7-15, 15-8, 15-12 in the men's singles Group A.

"It's really difficult to play on court three because it was very windy. Alan knows the stadium better and he was very powerful in the first set," said the world number one, who needed 71 minutes to win the match.

"The first match is really important to know the court and I hope I will perform better tomorrow," he said.

Gade Christensen, who will celebrate his 21st birthday on Sunday, challenges Indonesia's Budi Santoso today. He lost to Budi in the China Open quarterfinals last month.

Old hand Hermawan Susanto proved that experience could save a player's neck in a major tournament. He beat junior Indra Wijaya 15-9, 17-14.

Hermawan will face Chen Gang of China while Indra will meet the 1996 Olympic gold medalist Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen, who beat Chen Gang of China 15-7, 15-10.

Hendrawan failed to overcome All England winner Dong Jiong of China, losing 14-17, 15-12, 8-15. Hendrawan injured his right thigh in the third set when Dong was leading 14-8.

In other women's singles matches, China's Zhang Ning beat compatriot Dai Yun 11-5, 11-6. She plays the 1992 Olympic gold medalist and the 1996 Olympic bronze medalist Susi Susanti of Indonesia today.

Chinese Ye Zhaoying beat Kim Ji-hyun of South Korea 11-3, 11-6 and meets compatriot Yao Yan tomorrow. (yan)

Selected results (prefix number denotes seeding):

Men's singles: Peter Gade Christensen (Den) bt Alan Budikusuma (Ina) 7-15, 15-8, 15-12 Marlev Mainaky (Ina) bt Hariyanto Arbi (Ina) 15-11, 15-11 Hermawan Susanto (Ina) bt Indra Wijaya (Ina) 15-9, 17-14 Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen (Den) bt Chen Gang (Chn) 15-7, 15-10 Sun Jun (Chn) bt Thomas Stuer Lauridsen (Den) 15-2, 18-14 Dong Jiong (Chn) bt Hendrawan (Ina) 17-14, 12-15, 15-8

Women's singles: Wang Chen (Chn) bt Camilla Martin (Den) 11-7, 11-3 Zhang Ning (Chn) bt Dai Yun (Chn) 11-5, 11-6 Ye Zhaoying (Chn) bt Kim Ji-hyun (Kor)

Men's doubles: Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky (Ina) bt Antonius/Denny Kantono (Ina) 15-9, 15-6

Mixed doubles: Tri Kusharjanto/Minarti Timur (Ina) bt Michael Soogard/Rikke Olsen (Den) 15-2, 15-11 Liu Yong/Ge Fei (Chn) bt Imam Tohari/Emma Ermawati (Ina) 15-13, 13-15, 15-11 Bambang Suprianto/Riseu Rosalina (Ina) bt Sandiarto/Finarsih (Ina) 15-10, 10-15, 15-2