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.