RI hopes for Danish showdown in Sudirman semifinals

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

If all goes according to plan and it makes the final four, the national badminton team believes it will stand more of a chance against Denmark than holders South Korea in the 2005 Sudirman Cup in Beijing.

Indonesia is in Group B of the mixed team championship with host and overwhelming favorite China, Hong Kong and Sweden, while Korea is with Denmark, England and Thailand in Group A.

The top two teams from each group advance to the semifinals of the event, to be held from May 10-15, with the winners of each group playing the runners-up.

The event operates on a best-of-five match format for each tie, consisting of one men's singles, one men's doubles, a women's singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles.

Men's singles coach Joko Suprianto said on Monday the team's relatively weak women's team could still take matches against the Danes, especially with last year's retirement of former world and All-England champion Camilla Martin.

"Denmark has problems among its women's shuttlers. If we meet them in the semifinal, our women shuttlers could steal points from them, thus easing the task for the men," he said during a break in a practice session at the National Badminton Training Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta.

Korea would be a much more difficult proposition for the women players, he added.

"Let alone the fact that the former best mixed doubles pair in the world, Kim Dong Moon/Ra Kyung Min, who is still hard to beat, will come back to play for Korea."

Women's doubles coach Atik Djauhari and mixed doubles coach Richard Mainaky concurred with Joko.

Atik said Indonesia, which won the title in its inaugural year in 1989, was almost certain to reach the semis, because it was stronger than Sweden and Hong Kong.

"So, rather than thinking about a match against China in our group, it is better for us to concentrate on our match in the semifinal," he said.

"In my view, we will have better chance to win if we meet Denmark rather than Korea in semifinal as Denmark is currently weak among its women shuttlers."

Richard said the unexpected return of Kim/Ra changed the expectations of all teams.

"It will be hard for other pairs, including from Indonesia, to beat them," he said. "Our chance is better if we meet Denmark."

The coaches said training was continuing uninterrupted despite the sudden resignation in mid-April of Sudirman Cup coach Icuk Sugiarto following a dispute with the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI).

However, men's doubles coach Christian Hadinata warned the team not to assume it was assured a semifinal spot.

"Remember that we have to beat Hong Kong, which is strong in women's singles with Wang Chen and men's singles with Agus Hariyanto, and Sweden in group matches to reach the semifinal."