New father Hendrawan loses in 1st round
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)