RI strong team for Asia Cup

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) will field its strongest players in the US$100,000 JVC Asia Cup men's team championships at the Phan Ding Phung Indoor Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City next month.

PBSI secretary-general, Leo Chandra Wiranata, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that world number three Taufik Hidayat, world number five Hendrawan and world number two doubles Tony Gunawan and Candra Wijaya would compete in the biennial event from Nov. 10 to Nov. 14.

"We aim to retain the title we earned two years ago in the Senayan tennis indoor," he said.

In 1997, with the absence of China, Indonesia's young shuttlers of Indra Wijaya, Candra, Sigit Budiarto, Jeffer Rosobin, Budi Santoso and Tony took the trophy in the first championships.

"The championships are the best chance to observe our shuttlers' performances against Asian countries as we have programmed them for next year's Thomas Cup in Kuala Lumpur," Leo said.

PBSI training director, Christian Hadinata, told the Post that Indonesia would face tough challenges from China, South Korea and Malaysia.

"We have predicted that they are able to win the championships."

However, Christian questioned the rule stipulating a team can only be represented by four players.

"We'll ask about it because I think a team needs a substitute as a precaution if something happens to one of the four players," he said.

The Asian Badminton Confederation secretary-general, Datuk Punch Gunalan, said in a fax available to the Post: "With a total prize of $50,000 for the winning team and a new form allowing a team to send two or three shuttlers, all shuttlers will be enabled to play in the championships," he said.

"The JVC Asian Badminton Championships in Malaysia last month served as an indication of the Asian countries' strength. We can see that China, South Korea and Malaysia will compete tightly in the Asia Cup this year." (yan)