Indonesia set to dominate Chinese Taipei event
Indonesia set to dominate Chinese Taipei event
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
With the big guns from China and Malaysia missing, Indonesia is tipped to walk away with four of the five titles on offer at a five-star badminton event in Chinese Taipei next week.
Veterans Marleve Mainaky of Indonesia and Ong Ewe Hock of Malaysia occupy the top two seeded positions in the men's singles event scheduled for July 16 through 21, in the absence of China's Xia Xuanze, Bao Chunlai and Lin Dan and Malaysia's world number five Wong Choong Hann, according to IBF's online news.
Wong is busy preparing for his Commonwealth Games title defense in a few week's time in Manchester, England.
Mainaky, the reigning Indonesia Open champion, is expected to take on Malaysia's Kuan Beng Hong in the second round after a first round bye, but could face tricky opposition in the form of Korea's plucky Park Tae Sang if he's to progress through to the quarterfinal stage.
Thirty-year-old Ong could face an equally arduous journey - after facing a qualifier in the second round, he's drawn to face Indonesia's 12th seed Taufik Hidayat in the last 16, and then Thailand's talent Boonsak Polsana in the quarterfinals.
South Korea boasts the third and fourth seeded places thanks to Lee Hyun-il - eager to reassert himself after a disappointing outing at the Thomas Cup Finals in Guangzhou, China - and Shon Seung-mo.
The Indonesians are also seeded for all three doubles wins - former world champions Candra Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto, so dominant on the World Grand Prix circuit in 2001, will be looking for their first win of 2002 in the men's doubles event, but could fall at the final hurdle if second seeds Ha Tae Kwon and Kim Dong Moon have their way and claim a second GP title to their triumph at the All England in March.
Reigning world champion Tony Gunawan, now playing under the U.S. banner with Bob Malaythong, is likely to face the Korean pair - silver medalists to Gunawan's gold at the 2001 World Championships - in the second round.
Thailand third seeds Pramote Teerawiwatana and Tesana Panvisvas should face little opposition through to the semifinals.
Marisa Vita will be gunning for glory in both the women's and mixed doubles categories, now played to 11 points. Playing with Deyana Lomban in the women's event, their first major challenge should not come until the semi-finals when they're drawn to meet Hwang Yu Mi and Lee Hyo Jung who played a key role in Korea's Uber Cup silver medal winning campaign a few weeks ago in Guangzhou.
Seeded second are Japan's top pair Shizuka Yamamoto and Seiko Yamada.
In the mixed event, Vita pairs up with Nova Widianto to claim the top spot, followed by compatriots Tri Kusharyanto and Emma Ermawati in second at the opposite end of the draw. Both pairs take on pretenders from the host nation in their respective first matches -- Widianto and Vita play Lai Kuan-Hung and Li Ming Ting, with Chien Yu Hsun and Chien Yu Chen drawn against the second seeded pair.
Thailand's Khunakorn Sudhisodhi and Saralee Thungthongkam, and Indonesian veterans Bambang Suprianto and Minarti complete the top four seeded places.