Indonesian shuttlers target two titles in Singapore Open

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) is banking on its shuttlers taking the men's singles and men's doubles in the US$150,000 Konica Cup Singapore Open, which starts Wednesday.

PBSI deputy for athletes development Hadi Nazri said on Tuesday that although the association primarily expected its shuttlers to use the event to improve their world rankings to qualify for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, it also hoped to retain its dominance in the sport, especially in the men's doubles.

"Our athletes are not allowed to make an early exit in the first or second rounds. If they are not serious, they will lose points needed to qualify for the Olympics," he said.

Indonesia is sending Hendrawan, Budi Santoso, Taufik Hidayat, Hariyanto Arbi and Marlev Mainaky in the men's singles and three men's doubles pairs of Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky, Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan and Endra Mulyajaya and Hadi Saputra, a new combination.

In the women's event, PBSI entered Yuli Marfuah in the singles and Elysa Nathanael and Deyana Lomban and Indarti Issolina and Carmelita in the doubles.

In the men's singles, 1999 SEA Games gold medalist Taufik Hidayat will be tested by Malaysian Roslin Hashim if they reach their appointed places in the third round. If the 18-year-old Indonesian reaches the quarterfinals, he may face Dane Peter Rasmussen, the 1997 World champion. In the semifinals, eighth- seeded Taufik is likely to meet world number one and top seeded Peter Gade Christensen of Denmark.

Hendrawan, the 1998 Asian Games silver medalist, will likely encounter the 1999 Thailand Open champion Luo Yigang in the third round before a probably meeting with Dane Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen, the 1996 Olympics gold medalist, in the quarterfinals.

If Hendrawan, the sixth seed, reaches the semifinals, he is likely to meet second seeded Fung Permadi, the Indonesian-born veteran who plays for Chinese Taipei.

In the men's doubles, 1996 Olympics gold medalists Ricky and Rexy will have their work cut out for them to overcome the 1999 World champions Kim Dong-moon and Ha Tae-kwon of South Korea, top seeded in the tournament, if they meet in the quarters. The 1999 All England champions Candra and Tony, second seeded here, will face Lee Dong-soo and Yoo Yong-sung of South Korea in the semifinals if matches run according to seeding.

Hadi said all players in the National Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta, were required to compete in eight tournaments until the deadline for the qualifying round in April 2000.

"By the end of this year, we hope some of them will manage to reach the top 10 in each event, if we are really serious in our target to retain the gold medal in badminton. In April, we expect them to be in the top four to enable us to reap the greatest benefit from the making of the draw during the Olympics," he said.

Hadi named Hendrawan, Budi and Taufik in the men's singles and Cindana Hartono, Lidya Djaelawidjaja and Ellen Angelina in the women's singles as the best candidates to qualify for the Olympics. (yan)