Indonesia eying world mixed team title

Indonesia eying world mixed team title

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is preparing for the Sudirman Cup
mixed team championships on a larger scale than it is for the
World Championships, when the two major badminton tournaments are
on stage in two week's time in Switzerland.

National head coach Indra Gunawan said yesterday his 29-strong
team was all set to regain the team championship title in
addition to the Thomas and Uber Cups they won last year.

"Personally speaking, winning the Sudirman Cup looks more
prestigious than triumphing in the World Championships," Indra
said. "We have to wait for another two years if we are down in
the upcoming Sudirman Cup."

Indonesia won the inaugural Sudirman Cup in 1989 at home but
fell in the last hurdles twice at the hand of South Korea. The
cup is named after Sudirman, Indonesia's badminton founding
father, who died in 1986 at the age of 64.

The upcoming Sudirman Cup and the World Championships will
take place successively from May 17 to 28 in Lausanne,
Switzerland. The mixed team tournament will contest five rubbers
under the order of women's singles, men's doubles, women's
doubles, men's singles and mixed doubles.

Both events will award ranking points to the participating
players, who are in pursuit of places in the 1996 Olympic Games,
to be held in Atlanta.

"It doesn't matter if we lose in the World Championships,
since there are still many tournaments offering big ranking
points," said Indra.

Indonesia suffered a narrow 2-3 defeat in the 1993 Sudirman
Cup final in Birmingham, but bounced back to sweep three
individual titles in the World Championships, through men's
singles Joko Suprianto, women's singles Susi Susanti and men's
doubles team of Ricky Subagja and Rudy Gunawan.

Joko, Susi, Ricky and Gunawan will show up in both
championships, along with their triumphant Thomas Cup and Uber
Cup teammates. Debutants will include men's singles Lioe Tiong
Ping and women's shuttlers Mia Audina and Cindana.

Indra said his side remains heavy on men's singles, women's
singles and men's doubles to win the coveted title.

Indonesia, South Korea, Denmark, China, England and Thailand
have qualified for the Sudirman Cup finals. They will be split
into two group and play round-robin matches. The top two teams
will move to the cross-over semifinals.

Indra said that he was expecting another finals showdown with
South Korea, the fourth finals meeting between the two badminton
powerhouses since the inception of the Cup in 1989.

"South Korea is the strongest opponent so far, with Denmark
and China a little bit weaker," Indra said.

The national team for the Lausanne championships will
entertain their fans during simulation games at the Senayan
indoor stadium on Friday. The matches will also cap the
celebration of the Badminton Association of Indonesia's 44th
anniversary. (amd)