Indonesia through to face China in Uber Cup final

Indonesia through to face China in Uber Cup final

HONG KONG (Reuters): Evergreen Susi Susanti guided holder Indonesia into a third successive Uber Cup final yesterday where the defending champion will face favorite China.

Susi, a former world number one, repelled the challenge of the fast-improving Camilla Martin to set Indonesia on the road to a 4-1 victory over Denmark.

The Indonesians have beaten China in the past two finals of the Uber Cup women's team championship and this year's showdown could revolve around the meeting of Susi and China's world number one Ye Zhaoying.

Susi, who has cut down her playing schedule since marrying fellow international Alan Budikusuma last February, displayed her old sparkle in a 7-11, 11-5, 11-4 victory over Martin.

Susi was defending a 14-match unbeaten record in matches against the current world number two and looked in trouble after losing the first game.

She forced Martin into long rallies in the second which she won quite comfortably and aggressive tactics at the start of the decider saw her race into a 6-0 lead which she never surrendered.

"It was a good win for me. Camilla is improving all the time and I had to play a careful game against her," said the 27-year- old Susi. "I began to get my rhythm in the second game and upped the tempo in the third."

Eliza and Rosiana Zelin made it 2-0 with a 15-6, 15-9 win over Rikke Olsen and Marlene Thomsen and 18-year-old Mia Audina, Indonesia's key player in its last two title wins, fought back from 3-9 down to Mette Pedersen to win 12-11, 11-4.

Indarti Isolina and Deyana Lomban made it 4-0 with victory over Ann Jorgensen and Camilla Martin in the doubles before Mette Sorensen salvaged a consolation result with an 11-1, 11-5 win over debutant Ellen Engelina in the final singles.

In the earlier semifinal, world champion Ye steered favorite China into the final with a comfortable 5-0 victory over South Korea.

Chinese manager Li Yongbo said that he was confident of victory over Indonesia if Ye beats Susi in tomorrow's final.

"The first singles will be critical and affect how the rest of the match goes -- Ye Zhaoying is a better player than two years ago and should beat (Indonesia's) Susi Susanti," said the former doubles specialist. "If all the players produce their best form we will win."

Ye was never in trouble in the opening match with the ninth- ranked Kim Ji-hyun and used her steep smashes and tremendous positional sense to beat the Korean 11-5, 11-7.

World and Olympic champions Ge Fei and Gu Jun, who have had an invincible air about them during the competition, took just 35 minutes to defeat Ra Kyung-min and Jang Hye-ock 15-10, 15-8.

The one-sided encounter was wrapped up when world number three Gong Zhichao, less than impressive in her encounters this week, raised her game a notch to thrash Lee Joo-hyun 11-4, 11-0.

Results

Indonesia 4 Denmark 1 (Indonesian names first): Susi Susanti bt Camilla Martin 7-11, 11-5, 11-4 Eliza/Rosiana Zelin bt Rikke Olsen/Marlene Thomsen 15-6, 15-9 Mia Audina bt Mette Pedersen 12-11, 11-4 Indarti Isolina/Lomban bt Ann Jorgensen/Martin 6-15, 15-8, 15-7 Ellen Engelina lost to Mette Sorensen 1-11, 5-11

China 5 South Korea 0 (Chinese names first): Ye Zhaoying bt Kim Ji-hyun 11-5, 11-7 Ge Fei/Gu Jun bt Ra Kyung-min/Jang Hye-ock 15-10, 15-8 Gong Zhichao bt Lee Joo-hyun 11-4, 11-0 Qin Yiyuan/T. Yongshu bt Kim Shin-young/Kim Mee-hyang 15-1, 15- 8 Dai Yun bt Lee Kyung-won 11-8, 11-8