Sigit still listed for Thomas Cup team

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's best doubles player Sigit Budiarto will still prepare for the 1998 Thomas Cup championships in Hong Kong in May, the Badminton Association of Indonesia's deputy, Mangombar Ferdinand Siregar, said Wednesday.

He said that although Sigit had to rest due to a stomach ulcer, the shuttler would still have a chance to partner with Candra Wijaya in the country's Thomas Cup squad.

"They are the best doubles in the world and world champions. Of course, we'll focus on them for the Thomas Cup," he said.

Siregar said Sigit's absence in the Swedish Open, All England championships and the Swiss Open in March was not because the association had sanctioned the shuttler, who won the 1997 World Championships title with Candra.

The association decided to field Candra with Tony Gunawan in the three tournaments. The new partnership won the Copenhagen Master late last year.

Antara reported that teaming Candra and Tony was part of the association's strategy to face the Thomas Cup championships.

"Other world men's doubles had studied Sigit and Candra's playing and we wanted to surprise them by not fielding Sigit this time," he said.

The Badminton National Center director, Christian Hadinata, said he would discuss the change with coach Atik Jauhari and both Sigit and Candra.

"We considered not fielding Sigit in the three tournaments and we've told him our reasons. We asked him to still prepare himself in case. But the most important thing, there must be understanding between Candra and Sigit to help us solve any problems," Christian said, as quoted by Kompas daily.

Christian said the doubles were ready to win the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Meanwhile, Sigit said he never guessed he would not be fielded in the three tournaments.

"The All England became my personal target after I and Candra failed last year. And I don't have any problems with my partner," he said.

Sigit and Candra only reached the All England semifinals.

However, Sigit said he would have difficulty in preparing for the Thomas Cup championships if he could not compete in previous tournaments.

"I need a real competitive situation to prepare myself and I think the time between the Japan Open in early January and the Thomas Cup championships in May is too far between for me," he said. (yan)