Hermawan sees a big leap in world ranks

JAKARTA (JP): If the badminton world rankings list were a sea, the U.S. Open concluded on Aug. 13 in Atlanta, Georgia would have caused only a ripple.

Winning the Open's men's title was a great leap for Indonesian Olympic bronze medalist Hermawan Susanto. His beaming 15-10, 15-3 win made his opponent in the final, Chinese rising star Dong Jiong, seem dim.

Now, with a total of 288.37 points, Hermawan is just a step away from number one, an International Badminton Federation world ranking list release stated yesterday.

The leap has inched out his compatriot Ardy Bernadus Wiranata, last year's Final Grand Prix champion, from second to third and subsequently pushed the 1992 Barcelona Olympic gold medalist, Alan Budikusuma, from third to fourth.

The ripple, however, was not strong enough to shift the glue which firmly fastens Hariyanto Arbi to his number one seat. His total of 318.4 points is certainly not easy to pass.

In the women's singles rank, doldrums prevail despite Ye Zhaoying's laborious 12-10, 3-11, 11-9 win over South Korean Bang Soo-hyun to catch the Open women's title. Lack of wind also made the other world ranks in the women's doubles and men's doubles remain as they were.

But in the mixed doubles, a change of guard has occurred. World number one Thomas Lund and Marlene Thomson of Denmark slumped to the third position. Second-placed South Korean Kim Dong-moon and Gil Young-ah who stepped to top the rank were succeeded by Indonesia's Tri Kusharyanto and Minarti Timur. (arf)

Selected world ranks (Indonesian unless stated otherwise):

Men's singles: 1. Hariyanto Arbi 318.04 2. Hermawan Susanto 288.37 3. Ardy B. Wiranata 272.88 4. Alan Budikusuma 267.48 5. Joko Supriyanto 263.24

Women's singles: 1. Susi Susanti 330.83 2. Bang Soo-hyun (Kor) 324.64 3. Ye Zhaoying (Chi) 318.89 4. Lim Xiaoqing (Swe) 282.10 5. Mia Audina 232.85

Men's doubles: 1. Ricky Subagja/ Rexy Mainaky 2. Cheah Son Kit/ Yap Kim Hock (Mal) 3. Gunawan/ Bambang Supriyanto

Women's doubles: 1. Gil Young-ah/ Jang Hye-hock (Kor) 2. Kim Mee-hyang/ Kim Shin-young (Kor) 3. Gei Fei/ Gu Jun (Chn) 6. Eliza/ Zelin Rosliana 7. Lili Tampi/ Finarsih

Mixed doubles: 1. Kim Dong-moon/ Gil Young-ah (Kor) 2. Tri Kusharyanto/ Minarti Timur 3. Thomas Lund/ Marlene Thomson (Den)