South Korea and Malaysia move to Thomas Cup semis

JAKARTA (JP): Malaysia, behind the doubles pair of Tan Kim Her and Yap Kim Hock, beat Denmark 4-1 last night to douse the Danes' dream of securing a semifinal slot in the Thomas Cup badminton championships at Senayan indoor stadium.

The victory put Malaysia atop Group B, with South Korea securing second place after downing Thailand 4-1.

Defending champion Malaysia will lock horns against four-time Cup winner China, which finished second behind Indonesia in Group A, in Wednesday's semifinals. South Korea faces an uphill climb against seemingly invincible Indonesia which topped Group A with an impeccable record.

Malaysia's ace shuttler Rashid Sidek gave the Cup holder a 1-0 lead when his Danish counterpart Thomas-Stuer Lauridsen resigned in the first set after pulling a muscle in his back.

Rashid was leading 6-3 when the Dane suddenly approached the umpire indicating that he could not play on.

Denmark drew the score level at 1-1 when the pair of John- Holst-Christensen and Michael Sogaard got the better of Soo Beng Kiang and Cheah Soon Kit, 18-14, 15-2.

After a see-saw battle in the first set that saw fortunes fluctuate, Christensen and Sogaard formed a well-knit partnership in the second as they completely took control of the action, outstroking and outwitting the Malaysian duo.

Soo and Cheah didn't help their cause by making a slew of unforced errors, repeatedly hitting long over the line and driving the shuttle into the net.

But Malaysia regained the lead when upstart Ong Ewe Hock, making his Thomas Cup debut, pulled off a stunning 10-15, 15-0, 15-6 upset victory over Danish number two Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen.

The presence of Madame Siti Hasmah Mohammad Ali, the wife of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad, apparently boosted the confidence and fighting spirit of the Malaysian players who were constantly booed and jeered by the crowd.

Tan and Yap once again became the toasts of Malaysia when they struck up a winning partnership by downing Thomas Lund and Jim Laugesen, 15-5, 15-17, 15-6 to give Malaysia an insurmountable 3- 1 lead.

The Malaysian second doubles pair were also instrumental in the team's hard-earned 3-2 win over a game South Korean side on Thursday. Tan and Yap snatched the clinching point for Malaysia when they upset South Korea's Yoo Yong-soon and Kim Dong-moon 15-8, 15-2.

"It was an upset loss. I thought both Thomas and Poul-Erik could have won their matches. It was quite unfortunate for us," said dejected Danish team manager Carsten Laugesen.

Denmark also failed to make it through to the final four in the 1992 Thomas Cup finals, falling 0-5 to host Malaysia which eventually won the Cup by edging Indonesia 3-2.

Uber Cup

In the women's Uber Cup, Indonesia will meet South Korea in the semifinals tomorrow, the second successive semifinal clash between the two sides. Indonesia bowed out 1-4 to South Korea in 1992.

The other Uber Cup semifinal pits five-time champion China against Sweden which finished second behind Indonesia in Group B after squeezing past Thailand 3-2 last night.

Susi Susanti and teammates topped Group B, having won all three round-robin matches. Last night Indonesia, which chose not to use world champion Susi in the singles, labored to beat Denmark 3-2.

Indonesia fielded Yuni Kartika at first singles in place of Susi who teamed up with veteran Rosiana Tendean in the doubles.

Yuni lost to Danish number one Camillia Martin, 1-11, 11-9, 6- 11.

The makeshift Indonesian combination of Finarsih and Eliza leveled the score by beating Lotte Olsen and Lisbeth Stuer Laudrisen 15-10, 14-18, 15-9. Indonesia took a 2-1 lead when Yuliani Sentosa made short work of Pernille Nedergaard 11-4, 11- 2.

The score was evened again at 2-2 when Susi and Rosiana fell 8-15, 9-15 to Pinne Mette Bilie and Marlene Thomsen.

Indonesia's 15-year-old sensation Mia Audina, making her Uber Cup debut, delighted the home crowd when she disposed of Lotte Thomsen 11-0, 11-4 to clinch the win. (bas/amd)

Thomas Cup

Malaysia bt Denmark 4-1 (Malaysia first):

Rashid Sidek bt Thomas Stuer Lauridsen 3-5 (Lauridsen resigned); Cheah Soon Kit/Soo Beng Kiang lost to Jon Holst Christensen/ Michael Sogaard 14-18, 2-15; Ong Ewe Hock bt Poul Erik Hoyer Larsen 10-15, 15-0, 15-9; Tan Kim Her/Yap Kim Hock bt Thomas Lund/Jim Laugesen 15-5, 15-17, 15-6; Foo Kok Keong bt Soren B. Foo Kok Keong bt Soren B. Nielsen 15-1, 11-15, 15-7

S.Korea bt Thailand 4-1 (Korea first):

Kim Hak-kyun bt Sompol Kukasemkij 15-9, 15-3; Park Sung-woo bt Kittipon Kitikul 15-7, 15-8; Lee Kwang-jin/Lee Suk-ho lost to Pramote Teerawiwatana/Sakrapee Thongsari 15-9, 6-15, 0-15; Yoo Yong-sung/Kim Dong-moon bt Siripong Siripool/Khunakorn Sudhisadhi 15-6, 15-18, 15-8; Ahn Jae Chang bt Teeranun Chiangta 15-10, 15-7

Uber Cup

Sweden bt Thailand 3-2 (Sweden first)

Somharuethai Jaroensiri bt Lim Xiao Qing 11-5, 5-11, 11-5; Pornsawan Plungwech bt Catherine Bengtsson 12-11, 11-7; Sujitra Ekmongkolpaisarn lost to Christine Magnusson 10-12, 12- 10, 7-11; Somharuetai Jaroensiri/Piyatip Sansaniyakulvilai lost to Maria Bengtsson/Catrine Bengtsson 18-15, 6-15, 11-15; Lim Xiao Qing/Christine Magnusson bt Pornsawan Plungwech/Plernta Boonyarit 15-0, 15-3

Indonesia bt Denmark 3-2 (Indonesia first) Yuni Kartika lost to Camilla Martin 1-11, 11-9, 6-11; Eliza/ Finarsih bt Lotte Olsen/Lisbeth Stuer Lauridsen 15-10, 14-18, 15- 9; Yuliani Sentosa bt Pernille Nedergaard 11-4, 11-2; Susi Susanti/Rosiana Tendean lost to Pinne Mette Bille/Marlene Thomsen 8-15, 9-15; Mia Audina bt Lotte Thomsen 11-0, 11-4