Simon loses in HK Open opener

Simon loses in HK Open opener

JAKARTA: National number three Simon Santoso made an early
exit in the US$250,000 Hong Kong Open badminton championship on
Tuesday.

Simon lost 15-8, 15-8 to Yohan Wiratama, who plays for Hong
Kong but is part of the exodus of national badminton players to
other countries. Yohan, 28, is the younger brother of 1992
Barcelona Olympic men's singles champion Allan Budikusuma.

National number one Taufik Hidayat, who is seeded fifth, and
number two and 14th seed Sony Dwi Kuncoro were scheduled to play
later.

In the women's event, top seeded Zhang Ning of China romped
past Hwang Hye-youn of South Korea and Pi Hongyan of France
completed an 11-7, 11-6 win over Mia Audina, the Indonesian-born
player now representing the Netherlands, Agence France-Presse
reported from Hong Kong. -- JP