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.