Susi ready to defend GP title for the seventh time
Susi ready to defend GP title for the seventh time
JAKARTA (JP): Susi Susanti of Indonesia, ranked number one in
the world, said she was ready to defend the Grand Prix badminton
women's singles title for the seventh time.
The Grand Prix badminton finals will be held at Senayan Indoor
Stadium, from Dec. 10 to Dec. 14.
"I am ready to defend the title. I know it's going to be
difficult since there will be many players out to dethrone me,"
Susi said after training at the Cipayung center on Thursday.
Based on the draw by the International Badminton Federation on
Wednesday, Susi is the top seed in Group A, which also includes
Dai Yun and Zhang Ning, both from China.
The women's singles consists of 12 players. Seven come from
China, two from Indonesia (Susi and Mia Audina) and the other
three from South Korea (Kim Ji-hyun), Denmark (Camilia Martin)
and (Sweden) Marina Andrievskaya.
For the Grand Prix badminton finals, China will have 20
players (four women's singles, seven men's singles, four pairs of
men's and women's doubles and a pair of mixed doubles).
Indonesia will have 30 players (8-2-4-2-2), Denmark 14 players
(4-1-2-1-2), Sweden one (women's singles), South Korea one
women's singles and one men's doubles, Malaysia with one men's
doubles, Japan with one women's doubles and England with one
mixed doubles.
Mia Audina, expected to take Susi's place as the country's top
player when Susi retires, is seeded with Martin in Group B.
Group C consists of three Chinese, Ye Zhaoying, Yao Yan and
Kim Ji Hyun. Group D has another two Chinese, Gong Zhicao and
Zang Zang Yaqiong, and Marina.
In the men's singles, none of Indonesia's players are seeded.
Indonesia will be represented by Alan Budikusuma and Budi
Santoso (Group A), Heryanto Arbi and Marleve Mainaky (B), Ardy
Wiranatakusuma and Hendrawan (C), and Hermawan Susanto and Indra
Wijaya (D).
Three Danish players are seeded in Groups A and D, Peter Gade
and Christensen in Group A and Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen in Group D.
Two Chinese are seeded in Groups B and C with Sun Jun in Group
B and Dong Jiong in Group C. (lnt)