New father Hendrawan loses in 1st round

JAKARTA (JP): World champion Hendrawan lost his first round match of the US$170,000 Sanyo Indonesia Open at the Bung Karno Indoor Stadium, but won an even bigger prize by becoming a father earlier on Wednesday morning.

The third seeded Hendrawan fell to Bjoern Joppien of Germany 2-7, 5-7, 7-1, 7-5, 7-2 in only 40 minutes.

"I couldn't play well because I barely slept all night waiting for my wife at the Pondok Indah Hospital. She had been having contractions since Monday but the doctor treated her to reduce the contractions because her pregnancy was only in the seventh month," Hendrawan said.

"It was unplanned as the doctor had predicted the baby would be born in the next four weeks."

Hendrawan's wife Silvia Anggraini delivered a baby girl weighing 1.96 kilograms at 1.30 a.m. on Wednesday. The baby is in an incubator at the hospital.

"I haven't seen my baby but I'm grateful that both my wife and my daughter are all right," he said.

The couple named their daughter Josephine Sevilla, in recognition of the Spanish city where Hendrawan won the World Championship in June.

The 29-year-old shuttler said he considered pulling out of the tournament. "I called Badminton Association of Indonesia chairman Subagyo Hadisiswoyo and training director Christian Hadinata to ask their opinions. Both recommended that I keep playing.

"I won the first two games but I was too exhausted in the third game and failed to hang in there. Besides, Joppien is a good player... I don't regret my defeat as I realize that I was not at my best.

"My daughter's birth has increased my motivation to perform better at the World Grand Prix Finals in Brunei Darussalam from Aug. 8 to Aug. 12 and the Singapore Open afterward," he said.

Hendrawan, however, refused to blame his poor performance on his daughter's birth.

"I just lost today. I was not at my top form," said Hendrawan, who rushed to the hospital after his match without changing his clothes.

In other men's singles matches, newly crowned Asian Junior champion Ardiansyah of Indonesia fell 7-3, 4-7, 7-3, 8-6 to James Chua of Malaysia in the first round.

Indonesia also suffered several setbacks in the second round, with last week's Malaysia Open runner-up Rony Agustinus losing 2- 7, 4-7, 7-3, 5-7 to the unheralded Ayob Sairul Amar of Malaysia.

Budi Santoso also lost to a Malaysian, falling 7-3 1-7, 4-7, 6-8 to Ismail Saman.

Indonesia's representatives in the third round are Johan Hadikusuma, Marlev Mainaky, Taufiq Hidayat and Asian Junior finalist Sony Dwi Kuncoro.

Sony engaged in a tense match with eighth seed Richard Vaughn of England, eventually winning 7-0, 8-7, 7-2.

"I played fast in the first game but I loosened my grip in the second game, allowing Vaughn to dictate the play. But I returned to my fast play in the third game and gave him more drops than lobs," he said after the match.

Sony will now meet Ismail in the third round, while top seed Lee Hyung-il of South Korea, who defeated Malaysian Yeoh Kay Bin 7-1, 4-7, 7-4, 7-3 in the second round, will face Johan.

The second-seeded Indian Pullela Gopichand also cruised into the third round, outclassing Indonesia's Vidre Wibowo 7-3, 4-7, 7-2, 7-4. He will now meet Ayob of Malaysia.

In the women's singles, top seeded Wang Chen of Hong Kong cruised into the third round after receiving a bye in the opener.

Wang, a finalist here last year, had an easy go of it in the second round, defeating Indonesia's Siti Mahiroh 7-3, 7-1, 7-1. She will now face another Indonesian, Atu Rosalina, who defeated compatriot Maria Elfira Christina 7-2, 7-3, 7-5.

"I aim to reach the final but I'll concentrate match by match. Atu and Lidya will be the toughest hurdles in reaching my target," Wang said after the match.

Atu said: "Wang has lots of advantages going into our second match after the Malaysia Open. She is taller and has more experience, but the new scoring system allows me to change tactics easily."

Indonesia dominated the mixed doubles, with its seeded pairs cruising into the next round.

Top seeds Bambang Suprianto and Minarti Timur bested Albertus Susanto Njoto and Wai Chee Louisa Koon of Hong Kong 7-2, 7-4, 7- 4, to set up a meeting with compatriots Danang Gathot and Erla, who defeated the Indian duo of Thomas Sanave and B.R. Meenakshi 5-7, 7-6, 8-7, 7-5.

The second seeds Nova Widianto and Vita Marissa outclassed Khoo Kian Teck and Foo Shui Yen of Singapore 7-2, 7-2, 7-0, and will now meet compatriots Robby Istanto and Mundiasti.

The women's doubles matches were scheduled for later in the evening, to be followed by the men's doubles matches. (nvn)