RI's 2nd stringer steals spotlight in Malaysia Open
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian second stringer Hendrawan stole the spotlight at the Malaysia Open badminton championships in Johor Baru as he upset the newly crowned Asia Cup champion Dong Jiong of China in their third round duel yesterday.
Hendrawan, displayed his superb defense and, against all odds, took out the attack-minded Dong to claim a 12-15, 15-9, 15-10 win for a quarterfinal ticket.
Dong was considered to be a real menace to Indonesia's reign in badminton for his giant-killing victories over world number one Joko Suprianto and All-England champion Hariyanto Arbi at the Asia Cup two weeks ago.
The Chinese rising star unleased his searing smashes to take the first set. However, Dong ran out of steam to match Hendrawan stroke for stroke as he was kept trailing in the next sets.
Olympic champion Alan Budikusuma proved he was still among the players to watch. In-form Alan, who is renowned for his erratic record, did everything right in his 15-12, 15-8 win over Dane number one Thomas Stuer Lauridsen.
But defending champion Ardy Wiranata failed to overcome the uphill challenge of unheralded Hu Zhilan of China. Ardy suffered a 9-15, 15-1, 11-15 humiliation which marred Indonesia's charge of repeating last year's success when it won three titles.
Earlier in the day, Indonesia gained mixed results as world number one Susi Susanti led an under form women's squad to survive their opening round battle.
Defending champion and top seeded Susi, making her first appearance since giving Indonesia its 19-year-awaited Uber Cup victory last May, appeared troubled by her Taiwanese rival, Jeng Shen-jen, but managed to storm to a 11-6, 11-4 win.
Uber Cup heroine Mia Audina played an aggressive but error- prone match against Japanese fellow Uber Cupper Takako Ida. The 14-year-old Indonesian struggled before easing past the nail- biter 12-11, 11-0 for a second round place.
Remy Handayani, a second stringer who dominates the Indonesian team's lineup, surprised the crowd as she scalped last year's finalist Lim Xiaoqing of Sweden. Remy shrugged off her wide world ranking margin against her China-born Swede opponent, playing gamely to claim a 11-8, 6-11, 12-10 hard-earned victory.
First casualty
Erratic Yuliani Sentosa became Indonesia's first major casualty. The joint fifth seed, who secured the all-important win in Indonesia's 4-1 trouncing over South Korea in the Uber Cup semifinals, bowed out 12-10, 8-11, 5-11 to little known Hu Ning of China.
Second stringers Kristin Yunita and Meuliawati joined Yuliani to pack their bags early. Kristin crashed to South Korean number three, Lee Joo-hyun, 9-12, 7-11, while Meuliawati was outclassed by lanky South Korean Ra Kyung-min, joint fifth seed here, 3-11, 6-11.
Junior player Ika Henny gave the Indonesian side a consolation as she breezed past Misako Sakamoto of Japan 11-4, 11-4.
Chinese second seed Ye Zhaoying lived up to her billing as a menace for Susi's title defense campaign with a comfortable straight set 11-1, 11-4 victory over Norashikin Amin of Malaysia. Fellow Chinese Zang Ning also produced another easy win as she overpowered Malaysia's Leong Yeng Cheng 11-3, 11-3.
On Wednesday night, top seed Joko Suprianto lead Indonesia's men's singles players to safely cruised to the third round of the US$180,000 tournament.
Joko played aggressively to beat his Malaysian second stringer Pang Chen 15-7, 15-4 as title holder Ardy Wiranata gave no mercy to Malaysia's Shim Kai Wei 15-5, 15-5
Indonesia's second best Lioe Tiong Ping continued his flawless showing with a major upset victory over world beater Pontus Jantii of Finland 15-9, 15-4 for a third round berth.
Olympic bronze medalist Hermawan Susanto, however, had his back to the wall in his rematch against Sun Jun of China. Sun, beaten by Hermawan in three sets in Indonesia's 5-0 rout over China in their Thomas Cup duel, forced a tie at 4-15, 15-4 but could not avoid a retirement in the exhausting match. Sun trailed 12-14 in the decider when he opted to leave the court. (amd)