Local junior shuttlers show their strength
Local junior shuttlers show their strength
By Novan Iman Santosa
SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): Junior shuttlers from the
Indonesian Badminton Center (PBI) dominated the opening day of
the US$9,000 Milo Junior Indonesia Open at the Bhinneka sports
hall on Tuesday.
Boy's singles top seed Sony Dwi Kuncoro, who received a bye in
the first round, easily outclassed Harry Hartono of Jakarta-based
Tangkas Bogasari 15-5, 15-3 in the second round. Sony will face
either Febiyanto Hartono of Jakarta-based Jaya Raya or Yoga Uki
Asah of West Java in the next round.
"I had a technical advantage compared to my opponent in the
opener. But a tougher challenge is waiting in the third round,"
Sony -- a finalist at the 2000 Asian Junior Championships and
2000 World Junior Championships -- said after his match.
"I will just do my best," he added.
Despite the decision by a number of countries to withdraw from
the competition, team manager Joko Suprianto still expects some
interesting matches in the quarterfinals.
Boy's singles second seed Ardiansyah, also from PBI, cruised
into the third round after defeating Suwadi of Djarum Surabaya
15-6, 15-3. Adriansyah will meet the winner of the match between
Subagja of West Java and Mega Birlian Aditya.
PBI teammate Markis Kido also moved into the next round,
defeating Bagus Suprobo of Surabaya-based Surya Naga Gudang Garam
(SNGG) 15-4, 15-10. Markis will now face Robert Cassidy Sugara of
Jaya Raya, who defeated Japan's Yamaguchi Kimihiro.
In the girl's singles, top seed Dewi Tira of PBI topped
Stephanie Rachman of Surakarta-based PMS 11-2, 11-4. She will
meet either Ivonne Hartono of Djarum Kudus or Dara Aprillya of
Jaya Raya in the third round.
Second seed Silvi Antarini, also of PBI, was much too powerful
for Miming Milanda Fajrin of PMS, winning 11-0, 11-6 to move on
to the next round where she will face either Heleyna of West Java
or Nadya Ivana Andiyanti of Djarum Kudus.
Another PBI shuttler, Fitria Firdaus, had a tough time with
Wiwis Meilynna of Djarum Kudus, winning 13-11, 13-11. Fitria will
next meet either Lutfi Wulan of Yogyakarta-based Haga Bank or
Lilyana Natsir of Tangkas Bogasari.
Ricasari of PBI will face the only Japanese shuttler left in
the singles events, Ikue Tatani, in the third round. Ricasari
advanced by defeating Dian Ayu Mayasari of Djarum Kudus 11-8, 8-
11, 11-0 in a hard-fought match. Tatani advanced by beating
Greysia Polii of Jaya Raya 11-2, 11-3.
Commenting on his team's poor results in the singles events,
Japanese team manager Takechika Kudo told The Jakarta Post that
he had expected his shuttlers to reach the third round.
"Some of my shuttlers have good skills but lack the fighting
spirit to win. They tend to let the shuttlecock play them instead
of attacking it.
"However, we learned some great lessons here. We still have
our chances in the doubles events," he said.
The Japanese team is the only foreign team still left in the
event, after the shuttlers from Darussalam crashed out in the
first round on Tuesday morning.
In the mixed doubles, Widi Chandra Kasih and Lina Winaningsih
of Gajah Tunggal Tangerang defeated Frans Kurniawan and Dewi
Sulistyowati of Tangkas Bogasari. They will now meet the Japanese
pair of Yamaguchi Kimihiro and Tatani.
Ricky Kristiawan and Natalia Poluakan of Tangkas Bogasari
advanced to the next round by defeating Cahyanto and Santaviani
of West Java 15-9, 10-15, 15-2.
Ruben Gordown and Piit Dian Apsari of Djarum Kudus beat Tigor
Trisakti and Catur Guna Rahayuningsih of Jaya Raya 15-3, 15-10.
Ruben and Pipit will go directly to the quarterfinals because
Latif Mohammad Zakry and Wong New Choo of Malaysia pulled out at
the last minute.
Gito Sugiarto and Nely Triana of West Java defeated Lukman
Hakim of PMS 15-5, 15-10 to earn the right to face Japan's
Nagahara and Gatoh in the second round.