JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI)

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI)
will announce the Indonesian Thomas Cup and Uber Cup teams on
April 24, a PBSI top official says.

Sumaryono, executive chairman of the national badminton body,
said each team will have four singles and five doubles players
picked based on their world rankings issued by the International
Badminton Federation (IBF). Each squad includes a reserved player
in both singles and doubles matches at the world badminton team
championships finals slated for May 10-21 here.

"We expect not to make dramatic changes in the teams'
lineups," Sumaryono, who was accompanied by Titus Kurniadi, newly
appointed executive chairman of the world championships
committee, said.

PBSI has been grooming 14 shuttlers for the Thomas Cup and 14
for the Uber Cup.

It is almost sure that world champion Joko Suprianto will play
the first singles in the men's team championship, All England
winner Hariyanto Arbi the second and Ardy Wiranata the third.
Olympic gold medalist Alan Budikusuma and Hermawan Susanto will
battle for the other place.

The All England winning pair of Rudy Gunawan and Bambang
Suprianto and their runner-ups Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky
will form the doubles team, with Denny Kantono nominated as the
substitute.

The Uber Cup team will consist of world singles number one
Susi Susanti, top doubles partnership of Lili Tampi and Finarsih
and Zelin Resiana and Eliza.

PBSI is sorting out the other singles players among Minarti
Timur, Yuni Kartika, Yuliani Sentosa and Mia Audina. Veteran
Rosiana Tendean may be given another chance of representing
Indonesia in the Uber Cup as a reserve player.

Eight teams have assured their places for each division in
this year's finals. Host Indonesia automatically qualified for
both events at the biennial meet, as well as Thomas Cup title
holder Malaysia and Uber Cup reigning champion China. (amd)