Indonesia whips Malaysia 3-0 in showdown
Indonesia whips Malaysia 3-0 in showdown
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Indonesia beat Malaysia 3-0 in an exhibition
match on Tuesday, with emerging star Taufik Hidayat enthralling
2,500 spectators at Among Rogo Sports Hall with his skills.
He defeated Samad Ismail in a tight 13-15, 15-10, 15-9. Budi
Santoso earlier overcame Malaysian veteran Ong Ewe Hock 15-6, 15-
10. In the doubles match, the new partnership of Tony Gunawan and
Antonius defeated newly crowned Singapore Open champions Choong
Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah 15-4, 15-5 for the clean sweep.
Taufik, fresh from his championship title in the Indonesia
Open in Denpasar last week, was forced to the limit by Samad.
Down 6-13 in the first game, Taufik scrambled back to win tie the
score but Samad won two more points for the game.
In the second game, world number five Taufik controlled the
rhythm and won 15-10. The 1999 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold
medalist only needed 12 minutes to overcome the Malaysian to win
the match 15-9 in the deciding game.
"I was not really serious because I think he didn't really
perform to his full strength," Taufik, 18, told The Jakarta Post
after the match.
Taufik -- who was scheduled to receive an award from the
government on National Sports Day on Thursday in Surakarta,
Central Java -- said he would instead take a week-long break at
his home in Bandung.
"I have turned down the invitation to the National Sports Day
ceremony because I am exhausted."
In a packed schedule in recent weeks, Taufik competed in the
SEA Games in early August before the Singapore and Indonesia
opens.
Budi, world number six, said Ong was not playing at the top of
his game.
"He's a tough player and I respect him for showing his world
class playing," he said.
Ong, who has been absent from tournament play for several
months due to a leg injury, acknowledged he was not back in form.
Malaysian coach Koay Farlin told the Post that Malaysia did
not field its top players in the Indonesia Open because the
shuttlers were preparing for the exhibition after competing in
the Konica Cup Singapore Open.
"We competed in Singapore one week prior to the Indonesia
Open. We were looking forward to the duel meet," he said. (44)