Haryanto, Lidya to compete in Samsung Korea Open

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Federation of Indonesia (PBSI) is to field its veteran men's singles shuttler, world number nine Haryanto Arbi, and women's singles shuttler, world number 12 Lidya Djaelawijaya to compete in the US$250,000 Samsung Korea Open in the Cheju Islands, South Korea, from Wednesday to Sunday.

Haryanto's road to victory will be a rough one, however, as he must fight off top shuttlers, including world number one Peter Gade Christensen and his senior partner Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen of Denmark, Luo Yi-gang and Chen Hong of China and Malaysians Wong Choong Hann, Yong Hock Kin and their seniors Ong Ewe Hock and Rashid Sidek.

In the absence of top Chinese women's shuttlers, Lidya, will have to fight hard against women's shuttler Camilla Martin and host country shuttler Kim Ji-hyun for a winning spot.

For the men's doubles event, PBSI is sending the world runner up pair of Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan and the seventh seeded pair of Flandi Limpele and Eng Hian.

In the women's sector, PBSI is sending young hopefuls Etty Tantri and Cynthia Tuwankotta, currently ranked world number eight, and the world number 13 pair of Indarti Issolina and Carmelita.

PBSI is still depending on the old reliables of Tri Kusharyanto and Minarti Timur to book a winning spot in the mixed doubles. The senior pair are currently placed at number three in the world .

Host South Korea apparently hopes for a clean sweep in the doubles of the six-star event, which is also a prequalifying round for the 2000 Olympic Games.

The world number one pair of Ha Tae-kwon and Kim Dong-moon and their juniors Lee Dong-so and Yoo Yong-sung, currently seeded fourth in the world, are ready to put an end to the domination of Candra and Tony.

Kim will also compete in the mixed doubles event, pairing with Ra Kyung Min. They are world runners up after Liu Yong and Ge Fei from China. The latter have failed to show up for the event, which is the first to be staged this year.

Ra, who pairs with Chung Jae-hee in the women's doubles, will likely face a tough challenge against Danish pair of Helene Kirkegaard and Rikke Olsen to pave their way to victory.

Their chances, however, look bright as top world women's pair of Ge Fei and Gu Jun from China have also failed to show up for the event. (ivy)