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.