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)