Indonesia dominates Japan Open finals

Indonesia dominates Japan Open finals

TOKYO (Agencies): Indonesia confirmed its badminton
superiority at the US$125,000 Japan Open championships, assuring
itself of two men's titles and all places in today's finals.

All-England reigning champion Hariyanto Arbi set up another
final showdown against world champion and compatriot Joko
Suprianto after winning the all-Indonesian semifinal matches
yesterday.

Fresh from his victory in the Korea Open last week, Hariyanto
jumped ahead 8-0 in the decider to score a 15-6, 10-15, 15-4
victory over top seed and title holder Ardy Wiranata. In another
all-Indonesian affair, Joko drubbed Olympic gold medalist Alan
Budikusuma 15-4, 15-3.

Joko and Hariyanto last met in the Asian Games final in
Hiroshima last year, with second seed Hariyanto claiming his
first Asiad gold medal.

Indonesia will leave the tournament with the men's doubles
title as its world's top two pairs renew their rivalry in today's
final. Number one Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky were untroubled
in dispatching England's fifth seeds Chris Hunt and Simon Archer
15-3, 15-6.

World number two and All-England winners Bambang Suprianto and
Rudy Gunawan made short work of the new Malaysian partnership of
Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock at 15-7, 15-6.

In the women's singles, world number one Susi Susanti moved a
step closer to a stunning fourth consecutive crown, when she
overpowered arch rival China's number one Ye Zhaoying 11-5, 11-3.

Some players predicted Susi's decline, after she crashed out
of the Asian Games in Hiroshima last October. But since then,
Susi Susanti has won the Thailand Open, the Grand Prix Final and
last weekend's Korea Open.

In the final, Susi will play South Korea's Bang Soo-hyun, whom
she beat in the Seoul final last week. Bang breezed past European
champion Lim Xiaoqing of Sweden 11-3, 11-6 in the other
semifinals.

In the women's doubles, top seeds, number one Ge Fei and Gu
Jun of China, and number two team Finarsih and Lily Tampi of
Indonesia advanced to the final.

Ge and Gu brushed aside English pair Julie Bradbury and Joanne
Wright 15-11, 15-8. Finarsih and Tampi outgunned China's Zhang
Jin and Peng Xingyong 17-15, 15-8.

The mixed doubles final will be between the top-seeded Danish
pair of Thomas Lund and Mariene Thomsen and the Indonesian duo of
Trikus Heryanto and Minarti Timur.