RI shuttlers top Malaysia Open seeds

RI shuttlers top Malaysia Open seeds

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian shuttlers, smarting after their
modest success at the recent Beijing Asia Cup badminton
championships, dominate the seedings for the Malaysia Open in
Johor Baru which kicks off on Wednesday.

As expected, the organizing committee on Thursday put world's
top-ranked men's singles Joko Suprianto, women's singles Susi
Susanti and men's pair of Rudy Gunawan and Bambang Suprianto atop
their respective lists.

Indonesian men's shuttlers who successfully ended a 10-year
Thomas Cup drought last May were rewarded in the seedings at the
US$180,000 tournament with titleholder Ardy Wiranata and Olympic
bronze medalist Hermawan Susanto seeded second and third,
respectively.

Danish number one Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen was placed fourth
ahead of home crowd favorite and three-time champion Rashid
Sidek, followed by Dane Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen, Sweden's Jens
Olsson and Chinese rising star Dong Jiong.

Dong is considered a player to watch at the July 6-10 event,
thanks mainly to his double upset victories over Joko and All-
England reigning champion Hariyanto Arbi on his way to triumphing
in the Asia Cup.

"I saw him play in Jakarta during the Thomas Cup and recently
in the Asia Cup in Beijing and his game has matured," former
Malaysian Thomas Cup hero Punch Gunalan was quoted by the Kuala
Lumpur-based New Straits Times daily as saying on Thursday.

Hariyanto joined the list of notable absentees along with
women's doubles compatriots Lili Tampi and Finarsih and South
Korean number one Bang Soo-hyun at the six-star meet.

In the men's doubles, defending champions Ricky Subagja and
Rexy Mainaky, fresh from their win at the Beijing's invitational
tournament, were placed behind their world number one
compatriots.

The organizers put Malaysia's best bets Cheah Soon Kit and Soo
Beng Kiang in the third spot, ahead of Denmark's ace doubles pair
of Thomas Lund and Jon Holst Christensen.

Except for women's singles title holder Susi, Indonesian
female shuttlers were unrated at the world badminton grand prix
tournament, having Yuliani Sentosa and second string pair of
Eliza and Zelin Resiana ranked fifth in their respective
divisions.

Indonesia will parade a 50-strong team heavy on junior
shuttlers at badminton's most lucrative event. There had been
fears earlier that the Indonesians would fail to make the trip to
Johor Baru following their crowd-shortened Thomas Cup final
against Malaysia. (amd)