Hendrawan keeps a low profile at Malaysia Open

Hendrawan keeps a low profile at Malaysia Open

JAKARTA (JP): World Champion Hendrawan is keeping a low
profile on his chances to grab the men's singles title at the
four-star Malaysia Open next week, especially with the
application of the new scoring system of the best of five games
in seven points.

"I haven't played the new system in a tournament. We have been
applying it in training, but it is completely different to the
old system of three games in 15 points," he told The Jakarta Post
after his training at the Indonesian Badminton Center in
Cipayung, East Jakarta, on Tuesday.

"Besides the new scoring system, I'll also face tough
challengers in the early rounds, but I have beaten several of
them before."

Hendrawan, the world number three, will meet host Saman Ismail
in the first round at the tournament, to be slated from July 18
to July 22. If he wins, he is likely to face Tam Kai Chuen of
Hong Kong in the second round.

"I've usually beaten Tam in the rubber sets. The new system
will force me to attack from the beginning, otherwise, he will
control the whole match," said the 29-year-old shuttler.

However, in the World Championships in Seville, Spain in early
June, Hendrawan defeated Tam in straight sets 15-3, 15-12.

Coach Agus Dwi Santoso echoed Hendrawan's opinion and said he
hoped the Indonesian would bring home a title from the Grand Prix
series but he would not expect too much.

"Hendrawan is facing tough challengers in the early rounds.
He'll have to work hard to overcome them. Besides, he also has to
adapt to the new system."

"I started training them with the new scoring system after
returning from Seville. Since then, they haven't had any
tournaments yet that have used it and they still need time to
adjust.

"Only Taufik (Hidayat) and Marlev (Mainaky) competed at the
Swiss Open, which used the system."

Marlev will skip the tournament, opting to concentrate on the
Indonesia Open a week after the event and World Grand Prix Finals
in August.

"I personally prefer the best of three games in 15 points,"
defending champion Taufik told the Post by phone. "The new system
is too fast and I am finding it hard to adjust."

Taufik, whose coach lost his contract when it was terminated
by the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) on June 15,
skipped the training program with Agus on Tuesday morning.

"I did the physical training by myself," said the 19-year-old
shuttler, who is still refusing to join Agus' training program.

Second seed Taufik will face lesser known Pei Wei Chung of
Malaysia in the first round. He is expected to meet Chen Yu of
China in the next round before he is likely to face Dicky Palyama
of the Netherlands in the third round.

The Asian Badminton Championships finalist, Rony Agustinus,
has a tough challenge ahead of him as he will meet South Korean
old-hand Park Tae Sang in the first round. Should he survive, he
will meet Olympics champion Ji Xinpeng of China, whom he beat in
the second round of the Japan Open.

Top seed Chen Hong of China is to meet Chetan Anand of India
in the first round before meeting the winner of the second round
match between James Chua of Malaysia and Anuphap Thiraratsakul of
Thailand.

Host hero Roslin Hashim, the fifth seed here, is to face
Shinya Ohtsuka of Japan in the first round before being
challenged by the winner between Arief Rasidi of Indonesia and
Cai Yun of China in the second round.

Roslin is the hot favorite here as he managed to win the Swiss
Open earlier this year, which used the new scoring system.

World number one Peter Gade Christensen of Denmark opted to
miss the tournament to prepare for the Grand Prix Finals. (yan)