Lidya declared fit for Uber Cup
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Following much speculation about her fitness, Lidya Djaelawijaya has been named the number one singles player in the Indonesian women's team for the upcoming Uber Cup.
"She is eighty percent fit and should be ready for the matches," team manager Yacob Rusdianto said from Surabaya, East Java, in a tele-conference with reporters at the National Sports Council (KONI) headquarters in Central Jakarta on Monday.
Lidya sustained a back injury during a training session ahead of her departure for the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur last September. She took part in the games despite her injury, even managing to reach the final, where she claimed the silver medal.
She was earlier placed on an evaluation list pending her recovery from injury. Yacob said that she had been included in the Indonesian team, whose members had been registered with organizers last Saturday.
The upcoming Uber Cup, the world's pre-eminent female team badminton event, which is contested every two years, will take place in Guangzhou, China, in May. China is the defending champion.
The men's version of the trophy -- the Thomas Cup -- which Indonesia holds, will also be up for grabs.
To book themselves a ticket to Guangzhou, Indonesia's female players must first go through a qualifying tournament in Melbourne, Australia, from Feb. 20 to Feb. 24.
Indonesia is drawn with Australia, Pakistan, South Korea and Thailand.
Currently ranked tenth in the world, the highest of the team's members, Lidya will be Indonesia's number one singles player at the tournament.
Indonesia's singles ranks comprise Lidya, Atu Rosalina (23), Ellen Angelina (30) and junior Dian Novita, while the doubles team brings together seniors Minarti Timur and Emma Ermawati, second stringers Deyana Lomban and Vita Marissa and juniors Eny Erlangga and Jo Novita.
Yacob said that, with departure for Melbourne scheduled for Feb. 15, the team would be looking to intensify its preparations at the Indonesian Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta.
Asked about their opponents in the qualifying matches, Yacob refused to nominate a particular rival and said that they were simply looking forward to qualifying for Guangzhou.
"We will not let ourselves be preoccupied with ambitions to win the group. We will be looking just to qualify," he said.
Indonesia is to play Pakistan and Thailand on Feb. 20 and Australia and Korea on Feb. 22. The first match will be staged in the afternoon and the second in the evening.