RI's 2nd stringer
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)