RI junior shuttlers still hope for clean sweep at Milo open

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Medan, North Sumatra

Indonesia still stands a chance of making a clean sweep of all five titles up for grabs in the US$11,000 Milo Junior Indonesia Open 2004 championships after the home teenagers advanced to the semifinals here on Friday.

China was deprived of the mixed doubles title after having all its contenders lose in the quarterfinals, while South Korea was denied a victory in the girls' singles.

Indonesian boys' single Tommy Sugiarto of Pelita Top One club will lead the hosts in the semifinals on Saturday when he meets fellow ninth seed Achmad Rivai of Jayaraya Jakarta club, thus ensuring a place in the boys' singles final for Indonesia.

Tommy defeated Ali Rasmara of Jayaraya 15-4, 15-3 in Friday's quarterfinals, while Achmad recovered from a game down to beat fifth seed Haryo Putro Wisnu of Djarum Kudus 4-15, 15-2, 15-10.

The other semifinals will feature China's top seed Gong Wei Jie, who thrashed ninth seeded Indonesian S. Kesuma of the Suryanaga Gudang Garam Kediri club 15-13, 15-0 against Lee Yong Dae of Korea, a 17-14, 15-4 winner over compatriot Hong Ji Hoon.

Tommy, who is now a step closer to meeting his rival Gong, said he was not preoccupied with the prospect. He said instead that he would concentrate on winning his semifinal match against Achmad.

"Let me beat my opponents one by one," he told The Jakarta Post after the match.

"However, I think Gong has weaknesses in returns near the net, plus he is also still suffering a thigh injury."

Indonesia also has one girls' shuttler in the semifinals, fifth seed Christina Maria Elfira of Djarum Kudus, who defeated unseeded Korean Lee Hyun Jin 11-4, 11-7 in the quarterfinals. But she will meet China's top seed Lu Lan, who sent home ninth seeded Singaporean Xing Aiying 11-1, 11-2.

Two other Chinese shuttlers, Wang Yihan and Wang Lin, will meet each other in another semifinals match, thus securing a berth for China in the girls' single final.

Wang Yihan won her match against Indonesia's third seed Fransisca Ratnasari S 11-8, 11-6, while Wang Lin edged out second seeded Korean Ha Jeung Un 11-4, 11-2.

"I tried to attack Wang, but my balls were not too sharp today. When I tried to sharpen my shots, they'd hit the net or I hit too wide. My opponent played better," she said.

In mixed doubles, Indonesia still has two pairs -- Muhammad Rizal/Greysia Polii and Septano Bona/Meidiyani in the semifinals.

In the quarterfinals, second seed Rizal/Greysia defeated unseeded Chinese He Hanbin/Pan Pan 15-8, 15-2, while Septano/Meidiyani of Jayaraya thrashed Korean Hoong Si Hoon/Hong Soo Jung 15-12, 15-5.

The other semifinalists were Korea's top seed Lee Yong Dae/Kang Hae Won, who beat Chinese Cao Liu/Ding Jiao 15-4, 15-7, and Korean double Jung Jung Young/Oh Seul Ki, who rallied to beat Chinese pair Shen Ye/Feng Chen 13-15, 17-16, 15-11.

Septano/Meidiyani will try to beat Lee/Kang in the semifinals to create an Indonesian final against Rizal/Greysia, who will have to beat Jung/Oh in the semifinal match.

In the girls' doubles, Indonesia's second seed Greysia Polii/Heni Budiman will lead the host nation in the semifinals to meet Chinese double Ding Jiao/Zhao Yunlei.

Greysia/Heni gave no chance to Malaysian Julia Wong/Chong Sook Chin and beat them 15-11, 15-9 on Friday while Ding/Zhao thrashed Singaporean pair Sari Shinta Mulia/Xing Aiying 15-3, 15-1.

China's top seed Pan Pan/Feng Chen will meet Korean Kim Mi Young/Lee Hyun Jin in the other semifinal match.

Pan/Feng fought hard against Indonesian double Zebadiah Pia/Krishinda Nintya of Jayaraya to win the match 15-5, 10-15, 17-15. Kim/Lee also needed three sets to beat Chinese Taipei pair Lui Hsiao Jo/Liu Chia Chi 7-15, 15-5, 15-4.

In the doubles, only one of four Indonesian doubles advanced to the semifinals. Second seed Putra Aditya/I Made Agung defeated Goh Ying Jing/Chin Tze Seong of Malaysia 15-4, 15-12.

They will meet Chinese double Shen Ye/He Hanbin, who beat local double Ali Rasmara/Achmad Rivai 15-12, 15-10 in quarterfinals.

In another quarterfinals match, top seeded Korean Jung Jung Young/Lee Young Dae thrashed local Harjanggi Andhika/M. Ahsan 15-3, 15-8. In the semifinals, they will meet Chinese pair Li Rui/Cao Liu, who beat Indonesian Lingga/Antok 15-11, 15-10 in the quarterfinals.