JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia shrugged off the odds as the host

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia shrugged off the odds as the host
nation whipped South Korea 4-1 to advance to the final of the
Uber Cup world women's team badminton championships at an
emotion-charged, tension-filled Senayan indoor stadium last
night.

In the Thomas Cup defending champion Malaysia also booked a
finals berth after downing China 3-2 in last night's semifinals,
with debutante Ong Ewe Hock becoming the toast of the title
holders. His 15-11, 15-6 victory over Dong Jiong gave Malaysia an
unassailable 3-0 lead.

The other finals slot in the Thomas Cup will be determined
this evening when Indonesia meets South Korea.

Susi Susanti and company will take on the winner of this
evening's China-Sweden semifinal on Friday.

With last night's win Indonesia managed to break its South
Korea jinx as it had lost to them in the last three Uber Cup
semifinals and it is the first time in eight years that Indonesia
has made it to the Uber Cup final.

When Indonesia made the final in 1986 at the same venue, the
home side went down 2-3 to China. Indonesia last won the
championship in 1975 when a Minarni-led squad beat Japan 5-2,
also in Jakarta.

Heroine

Twenty-one-old Yuliani Santosa was the heroine in Indonesia's
stunning win over favorite South Korea as she rose to the
occasion splendidly to clinch the all-important point by
defeating Ra Kyun Min 11-3, 12-9 in the second singles match.

Susi Susanti and the doubles pair of Lili Tampi and Finarsih
had earlier won their matches to give Indonesia a 2-0 lead.

South Korea sprung a surprise when it fielded Kim Ji-hyun at
first singles instead of its ace shuttler Bang Soo-hyun, ranked
third in the world. Bang played only second doubles with Gil
Young-ah, beating Indonesia's second best pair of Eliza and Zelin
Resiana 15-2, 2-15, 18-16.

World number one Susi, the acknowledged queen of badminton,
hardly broke a sweat in her 11-4, 11-2 demolition of Kim.

Then Lili and Finarsih stepped onto the court to snuff out the
game opposition of South Korea's second doubles team of Shim Eun-
jong and Jang Hye-ock with a hard-fought 15-9, 15-4 victory. The
Indonesian ace pair crashed to a straight sets defeat to the same
opponents in the quarterfinals of the All England championships
last March.

South Korean team manager Kim Joong-soo's pre-match boasts
that his side would roll over Indonesia 5-0 proved hollow as his
charges wilted under the tremendous pressure of Susi and
teammates and the vociferous support of the home fans.

Asian champion Yuliani needed only 15 minutes to take the
first set. But the second set was a touch-and-go affair, with the
two players struggling hard to outstroke and outwit each other in
a tussle highlighted by a series of exhilarating, energy-sapping
rallies.

Flag-waving

With thousands of flag-waving, drum-beating and cheering
supporters, roaring encouragement Yuliani soon raced to a 8-3
lead and appeared to have the set and the match sewn up. But Kim
fought back impressively to reel off five points in a row to
level the score at 8-8.

The Korean led 9-8 after Yuliani lobbed the shuttle out
following a rally. But Ra, who appeared greatly distracted by the
boos and jeers showered on her by the partisan home crowd,
faltered as Yuliani forced a deuce before wrapping up the set and
the match.

Jubilation prevailed at the whole Indonesian camp as Yubing,
as Yuliani is called by close friends, kneeled and burst into
tears.

"Our team's 2-0 lead was all that boosted my confidence to
fight it out," said an elated Yuliani after the heart-stopping
match. Yuliani, who was earlier expected to meet Kim, thus gained
sweet revenge for the loss to Ra in the 1992 Asian Badminton
Confederation championships.

"I have carefully studied Ra's performance a lot through
videos. Although she has skillful tactics, her stamina is quite
suspect," Yuliani said, adding that the roaring cheers of the
frenzied crowds reserved for her might also have contributed to
Ra's downfall as she appeared nervous when the chips were down.

Han Sung-gie, a South Korean official who spoke on behalf of
team manager Kim Joong-soo, admitted that the Indonesian fans had
greatly rattled and ruffled the mental resolve of his players.
(bas/amd)

Results: (Menyusul)