Rony shocks Gopichand in Malaysia Open

Rony shocks Gopichand in Malaysia Open

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Rony Agustinus scored the biggest
upset so far of the US$120,000 Malaysia Open at Malawati Stadium
in Shah Alam on Thursday, ousting All England champion Pullela
Gopichand of India to ensure a quarterfinals berth.

Rony, ranked 31st in the world, used every bit of his energy
in winning 8-6, 7-5, 7-5. In the second round of play earlier on
Thursday, Rony beat Shoji Sato of Japan 7-4, 7-4, 7-0, while
Pullela defeated Malaysia's Ayob Sairul Amar 7-2, 0-7, 8-7, 7-3.

Awaiting Rony in the quarterfinals is compatriot and world
champion Hendrawan, who defeated Indonesian-born Indra Wijaya of
Singapore 7-1, 7-4, 7-3.

The 29-year-old Hendrawan, whose ranking has dropped to
seventh, is aiming to grab his first Grand Prix series title
since he won the 2000 Thailand Open.

Earlier in the day, Hendrawan beat Tam Kai Chuen of Hong Kong
5-7, 8-6, 7-0, 5-7, 7-2, while Indra defeated former world
champion Hariyanto Arbi of Indonesia 5-7, 7-2, 7-2, 7-5.

Johan Hadikusuma of Indonesia bowed out to South Korea's
rising star Lee Hyun-il 7-4, 7-3, 7-2.

Indonesian men's doubles world champions Tony Gunawan and
Halim Heryanto, the top seeds here, defeated Tsai Chian Hsin and
Su Yi Suan of Chinese Taipei 7-0, 7-4, 7-1, and will next meet
sixth seeds Liu Yong and Chen Qiqiu of China, who ousted
Malaysia's Jeremy Gan and Hong Chien Hun 7-4, 8-6, 7-0.

Japan Open winners Candra Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto beat
Japan's strongest pairing of Tadashi Ohtsuka and Keita Masuda 7-
2, 7-4, 7-5 to gain their quarterfinals ticket.

The Japanese pair earlier in the day defeated Indonesian
qualifiers Johan and Budi Santoso 2-7, 7-2, 7-2, 6-8, 7-3.

Ricky Subagdja and Antonius Budi, who quit the Indonesian
national badminton center earlier this year, put up a good fight
against Thais Pramote Teerawiwatana and Tesana Panvisvas but
still lost 6-8, 7-4, 5-7, 7-5, 7-3.

Meanwhile, all of Indonesia's women's singles shuttlers went
down in defeat in the second round, reflecting Indonesia's
weakness in this division.

Ellen Angelina was beaten 7-8, 2-7, 2-7 by top seed Zhou Mi of
China, while fifth seed Lidya Djaelawidjaya suffered a
humiliating 3-7, 0-7, 3-7 loss to Chinese qualifier Yu Jin.

Third-seed Wang Chen of Hong Kong proved too powerful for Atu
Rosalina, winning 7-0, 7-3, 6-8, 7-2, and world champion Gong
Ruina of China ousted Yuli Marfuah 7-4, 7-2, 7-2.

In the women's doubles, the only Indonesian pair to survive
was Emma Ermawaty and Vita Marissa, who defeated Malaysia's
eighth-seeded duo of Ang Li Peng and Wong Pei Ty 4-7, 6-8, 7-0,
7-2 7-0.

But Indonesia's hope of winning the title in the mixed doubles
remains very much alive, with four pairings reaching Friday's
quarterfinals.

Separately, the West Java chapter of the Badminton Association
of Indonesia will host the second leg of the national badminton
circuit, the 2001 Samsung-SGS Cup, from Aug. 1 to Aug. 5 in
Bandung.

"The event will use the new scoring system of best-of-five
games, with games lasting seven points. This is the first time a
junior event in the country will employ the new system," chapter
chairman Lutfi Hamid said on Thursday.

"The International Badminton Federation has decided to try the
new system until next July so we should follow suit."

The US$170,000 Indonesian Open will be the first major event
in the country to use the new system. (nvn)