RI's Lioe shines in Japan Open
RI's Lioe shines in Japan Open
TOKYO (AFP): Lioe Tiong Ping of Indonesia needed some time to
get used to the lights over the courts before beating Japan's
Koichi Kuwano in the first round of the US$125,000 Japan Open
badminton championships yesterday.
The 22-year-old joint ninth seed, who captured his second
career victory winning the Canadian Open in September last year,
shrugged off a slow start to score a 15-6, 18-13 win in 31
minutes.
"A smash is my favorite shot. But I couldn't hit it well
today. I couldn't see the shuttle because of the lights over the
courts. But I'm in good form now," said Lioe.
Lioe repeatedly smashed into the net in the beginning to be
tied at 6-6, then combined overhead drops with high serves to win
the following 14 points in a row to take the first game.
The Indonesian temporarily lost his concentration to abandon a
7-0 lead and go down 11-13 in the second game, but steadied
himself to dominate the five-points setting with his favorite
smashes.
Another ninth seed from Indonesia, Fung Permadi, also coasted
to a two-game win over Rocky Magnave of the Philippines 15-4, 15-
5, and European champion Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen of Denmark, fifth
seed, powered past Nikolai Zuev of Russia 15-0, 15-8.
Chinese ninth seeds Ge Cheng and Lin Liwen also joined them
into the second round, while their fifth-seeded compatriots Dong
Jiong pulled out with a fever and Sun Jun with a foot injury.
Top four seeds, Ardy Wiranata, Alan Budikusuma, Hariyanto Arbi
and Joko Suprianto, received first round byes before making their
appearances at the Komazawa gymnasium tomorrow.
Today, world number one Susi Susanti of Indonesia will launch
her defense of the women's singles title against Japan's Chikako
Nakayama in the second round.
The opening day was marred by the big number of players who
handed walk-over wins. A total of nine men's shuttlers failed to
show up at the court. Indonesian fifth seed and Taipei Masters
champion Hermawan Susanto, joint ninth seeds Rashid Sidek of
Malaysia and Hu Zhilan of China were among those who cruised to
second round without breaking a sweat.