Indonesian shuttlers dominate JVC Asian Badminton C'ships

JAKARTA (JP): Seeded players tumbled in the second day of the US$150,000 JVC Asian Badminton Championships at the Senayan Indoor Stadium on Thursday with the biggest upset being the ousting of Indonesian women's singles second seed Lidya Djaelawidjaja.

Meanwhile, men's singles seeds Luo Yigang of China, and Lee Hyun-il and Park Tae-sang of South Korea also had to bow out early.

Lidya, who was expected to face a tough challenge from top seed Lee Kyung-won of South Korea in the final, received a shock challenge from little known Japanese Fumi Iwawaki.

Lidya, barracked by local spectators, was unable to return Iwawaki's smashes and dropshots before finally losing 12-13, 9- 11.

Leading the first game 10-5, Lidya started to lose her confidence as the energetic Iwawaki always managed to move all over the court to return the ball.

"She (Iwawaki) was more aggressive even though I knew her style, but I didn't play my best because I was under pressure. As the higher seed, I was under pressure to win today's match while she played all out," said Lidya, also blaming her failure on the short notice given her by the Badminton Association of Indonesia two weeks prior to the event.

Iwawaki, who will meet Le Ngoc Nguyen Nhung of Vietnam on Friday, said: "I played without any strategy. I just wanted to do my best."

In the men's singles, fifth seed Luo Yigang was surprisingly defeated by Ronald Susilo, an Indonesian playing for Singapore, 6-15, 15-7, 13-15.

Ronald will meet third seed Marlev Mainaky of Indonesia who defeated Lwin Aung of Myanmar 15-11, 15-4.

South Korea's seventh seed Lee Hyun-il was beaten by host player Rony Agustinus 3-15, 11-15. Rony will now meet second seed Wong Choon Hann of Malaysia in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, eighth seed Park Tae-sang of South Korea was beaten by Malaysian Yong Hock Kin 12-15, 10-15. Yong now goes on to challenge first seed Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia.

Taufik was stretched to the limit before finally beating another Malaysian Lee Tsuen Seng 17-14, 11-9.

In the men's doubles, second seeds Kittipon Kitikul and Khunakorn Sudhisodhi of Thailand were unexpectedly eliminated by the young Indonesian players Imam Sodikin and Luluk Hadiyanto 12- 15, 15-8, 8-15.

Imam and Luluk will take on South Koreans Yung Sun-gyun and Park Young-duk in the quarterfinals.

Antonius and Candra Wijaya will meet Chien Yu Hsun and Lin Wei Shiang of Chinese Taipei, who defeated fourth seed Njoto Albertus and Liu Kwok Wa of Hong Kong 15-8, 15-12.

Rexy Mainaky and Tony Gunawan will face third seeds Ma Che Kong and Yau Kwon Yuen of Hong Kong.

Indonesia put seven pairs in the mixed doubles events and only leave another ticket for South Koreans third seed Choi Min-ho and Yim Kyung-jin who beat Lwin Aung and Khine Thanda Htay of Myanmar 15-2, 15-5.

Top seeds Wahyu Agung and Emma Ermawati were barely stretched to crush Lee Moung-hun and Chung Jae-hee 15-2, 15-1. The Indonesians will meet juniors Deni Setiawan and Rita Kristiane.

Second seeds Lin Wei Hsiang and Chen Li Chin of Chinese Taipei lost 15-0, 8-15, 4-15 to Indonesians Imam Sodikin and Upi Chrisnasari. Imam and Upi will now meet compatriots Santoso Sugiharjo and Eny Widiowati.

Fourth seeds Bambang Supriyanto and Minarti Timur, who beat Sri Lankan N. Karunaratne/Renu Chandrika 15-1, 15-3, will meet Tony Gunawan/Etty Tantri, after defeating Park Young-duk/Kee Hyo- jung of South Korea 15-2, 15-7. (nvn/yan)

Selected results

Men's singles: Wong Choon Hann (Mal) bt Anuj Gupta (Ind) 15-8, 15-13; Pullela Gopichand (Ind) bt Shon Seung-mo (Kor) 9-15, 15-5, 15-5; Chen Yu (Chn) bt Anupap Thiraratsalul (Tha) 16-17, 15-5, 15-9

Women's singles: Lee Kyung Won (Kor) bt H. Renu Chandrika (Sri) 11,4, 11-0; Chindana Hartono (Ina) bt Maiko Naka (Jpn) 11-3, 11-3; Ellen Angelina (Ina) bt Koon Wai Chee (Hkg) 11-6, 5-11, 11-4; Xie Xingfan (Chn) bt Ling Wan Ting (Hkg), 11-2, 11-7

Women's doubles: Etty Tantri/Minarti Timur (Ina) bt Ngo Hai Van/Lee Ngoc Nguyen Nhung (Vie) 15-5, 15-4; Lee Kyung Won/Chung Jae Hae (Kor) bt Tsai Hui Min/Chen Li Chin (Tpe) 15-7, 15-8; Deyana Lomban/Carmelita (Ina) bt Norhasikin Amin/Fong Chew Yen (Mas) 15-3, 15-12; Lee Hyo Jung/Yim Kyung Jin (Kor) bt Khin Thanda Htay/Khine Nyein Win (Mya) 15-1, 15-1