Mia Audina seeded first at Japan Badminton Open

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's young badminton hope Mia Audina, the Olympic silver medalist, is the top seed at the Japan Open, beginning at the Yoyogi Gymnasium, Tokyo, today.

Mia, despite losing to Camilla Martin of Denmark at the Chinese Taipei Open last weekend, is the favorite to win the US$170,000 tournament. Mia is currently world ranked first.

She will have to overcome Chinese starlet Gong Zhichao, who is the second seed, and third seeded Martin.

Defending champion Ye Zhaoying and Asian Cup holder Zhang Ning, both of China, have also entered.

But Indonesia's badminton queen Susi Susanti, the 1992 Olympic gold medalist, will not play in the women's singles, which she won in 1992, 1994, 1995.

Susi, who withdrew from last week's tournament due to concern for her family after the riots in her hometown of Tasikmalaya, West Java, is to partner Finarsih in the women's doubles.

AFP reported that Olympic champion Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen, losing finalist to junior Dane Peter Gade Christensen at Taipei, leads the men's singles field which also includes Indonesia's Alan Budikusuma and Ardy Wiranata.

Other prominent playurs include Atlanta silver medalist Dong Jiong and fellow Chinese Sun Jun, Danish Open winner Thomas Steur-Lauridsen of Denmark and Rashid Sidek of Malaysia.

Indonesia's four men's doubles dominate the event. The Olympic gold medalists Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky are the first seed, followed by Taipei Open finalist Antonius/Denny Kantono, Tony Gunawan/Rudy Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto/Candra Wijaya, the Taipei Open winner.

Indonesia's Eliza/Zelin Resiana and Minarti Timur/Tri Kusherjanto are the top seeds in the women's doubles and mixed doubles events respectively.

A total of 207 shuttlers will take part in the tournament, vying for the top prize of $11,050 in the men's singles and $8,500 in the women's singles.

Meanwhile the contract deal dispute between the Badminton Association of Indonesia and players should finally end next week when the players get their payments.

The players protested the association over the late payment of their $197,000 sponsorship contract. The money should have been received in November but the association made an accounting mistake.

The association is expected to sign a new contract with Yonex, a Japan-based sports equipment company, next week.

The new contract will also include a bonus and penalty system for players under certain circumstances. (yan)