Indonesia favored in Sudirman Cup
Indonesia favored in Sudirman Cup
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has an excellent chance to complete its badminton supremacy with a Sudirman Cup mixed team championships victory in Lausanne, Switzerland, a badminton legend says.
"With a pack of star players whose skills are relatively equal, Indonesia is an odds-on favorite to bring the Cup back home," Rudy Hartono said during the celebration of the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) 44th anniversary at the Senayan indoor stadium yesterday.
Badminton maestro Rudy, an eight-time All England champion and the 1980 world champion, said that Indonesia's strong men's and women's singles and men's doubles would guarantee that the Sudirman Cup would adorn PBSI's locker room along with the Thomas and Uber Cups it won last year.
PBSI chief Soerjadi, chairman of the National Sports Council Wismoyo Arismunandar, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman and old-time Indonesian shuttlers were all present at the celebration.
The men's singles all-conquering team made up of world number one Hariyanto Arbi, number two Ardy Wiranata, Hermawan Susanto and world champion Joko Suprianto will join forces with world badminton queen Susi Susanti, rising star Mia Audina and their Uber Cup teammates at the May 17-22 championships.
World's top-three men's pairs of Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky, Rudy Gunawan/Bambang Suprianto and Antonius/Denny Kantono will also work to spur their team to a world team championships treble.
Olympic men's singles gold medalist Alan Budikusuma will miss another chance to represent Indonesia in team events. He was sidelined in Thomas Cup and Asian Games team competition last year. Alan, however, will try to make amends for his disappointing performance in the world championships held two days after the Sudirman Cup.
"Indonesia should beware of psychological exhaustion, which could happen during such tight, nerve-wracking competitions," Rudy said.
Indonesia is grouped with Denmark and Thailand, against whom they will play round-robin matches. The other group includes defending champion South Korea, China and England. The top two teams of each group will meet in cross-over semifinals.
South Korea, with strong doubles teams, ended Indonesia's run in the last two Sudirman Cup finals. Indonesia won the inaugural championships here in 1989.
Exhibition matches capped yesterday's celebration, to the delight of 2,000 crowd. Susi beat her teammate Yuni Kartika 11-5, 11-7 and Danny Kantono/Antonius needed only a set to beat their seniors Gunawan/Bambang, after Gunawan pulled out of the exciting match with a twisted ankle. (amd)