SGS meets Djarum in club tourney semis
SGS meets Djarum in club tourney semis
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post/Yogyakarta
On paper, it should have been easy pickings for SGS Elektrik
of Bandung over Keshab Timur of East Kalimantan, but their tie
came down to a nail-biting finish at the National Badminton Mixed
Team Championship here on Thursday.
There was no indication of the drama in store when southpaw
Flandi Limpele and Lita Nurlita of SGS wrapped up a 15-5, 15-6
win over Unang Rakhmat and Lidyawati in the opening mixed
doubles.
The expected 2-0 lead did not materialize when Yuli Marfuah, a
former national player, was dealt a shock 12-13, 9-11 loss by
unknown Lina Herlina.
Yuli attempted to gain control from the outset with her quick
passes and forcing strokes but Lina responded with relentless
retrieving.
The tension heightened in the first game when the referee
allowed Lina to take a time-out as Yuli prepared to serve, with
the latter grumbling to herself.
Her loss of concentration allowed Lina to take the game and
race to a 7-0 clear, before Yuli crawled her way back to 9-10.
The Bandung-based player had the chance to tie the score on
her serve, and again Lina asked for a time out, but her tactic
was rejected this time.
Yuli could not seize the momentum, hitting several errors and
allowing Yuli to take the match.
"My strokes have become rusty after an irregular training
workout," Yuli said after the match. "My stamina is sapped. It's
hard for me to lift my legs. I'm not the same as before."
Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat was called upon to save face
for SGS with a routine 15-1, 15-4 win over Agus Sukoco, in which
the latter smiled throughout as though it was a low-key
exhibition.
But Keshab refused to accept defeat. Lidyawati made amends for
her mixed doubles loss by teaming with Indarto Isolina to win the
women's doubles 15-10, 15-10 over Lita Nurlita and Monica and
send the tie to the decisive fifth rubber.
It was only then that the experience of Flandy and Hendra told
as they beat Hadi Saputra/Sigit Gustawan 15-7, 15-3.
It was a different story for their semifinal opponents Djarum
Kudus, which took an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five
match tie over Sinema Sukabumi.
Djarum's M. Rizal and Lelyana were forced to scramble against
Gito Sugiarto and Richasari Prawesti in the opening game before
proceeding to a 15-13, 15-4 victory in the mixed doubles.
Maria Kristin increased Djarum's lead with a convincing 11-1,
11-1 thumping of Mega Sylvia in the women's singles, paving the
way for Endra Kurniawan to seal a semifinal place by beating
Reben Supendi 15-3, 15-11 in the men's singles.