Hendrawan to compete at the Malaysia Open

JAKARTA (JP): World champion Hendrawan and former world champion Hariyanto Arbi have been added to the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) list to compete at the five-star Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur next month.

PBSI plans to send 22 shuttlers for the July 17 to July 22 event, including world championships semifinalist Taufik Hidayat, Rony Agustinus, Budi Santoso and Johan Hadikusuma.

In the women's singles, PBSI is likely to send Lidya Djaelawidjaya, Yuli Marfuah, Chindana Hartono and Ellen Angelina. Men's doubles Candra Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto will compete in the men's doubles along with Budi and Johan, who will play doubles for the first time, and juniors Alvent Yulianto and Hendra Gunawan.

The women's doubles of Vita Marissa and Etty Tantri will be backed up by juniors Rossi Riani and Diah Novita and another pair, Eny Erlangga and Novita.

In the mixed doubles, PBSI will send Bambang Suprianto and Minarti Timur; Nova Widhianto and Vita Marissa; juniors Alvent Yulianto and Eny Erlangga; and Hendra Gunawan and Novita.

PBSI secretary-general Leo Chandra Wiranata said on Friday that some old hands, including Hariyanto, Ellen and Chindana, would compete at their own expense.

"We're only facilitating them to play abroad," Leo told Antara.

Training director Christian Hadinata said those names were still nominations and could be changed.

"The nominations were made based on the coaches' recommendation. Everything could still be changed before the drawing," he said.

Christian said he had yet to hear information on the new scoring of the best-of-five games, with seven points in each game to be applied in the Malaysia Open and Indonesia Open.

"If the International Badminton Federation (IBF) applies the new scoring system, the players must warm up longer. They need more than just stretching and jogging.

"They must be more prepared. When competing for 15 points in a game, a player can still catch up even when he's down 0-5. But the new system forces players to concentrate more."

However, Christian said Indonesian players were training using the new system. (yan)