Susi reclaims title as Indonesia rules the roost

By Primastuti Handayani

MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): Susi Susanti restored her beleaguered pride with her fifth Indonesian Open title in the day, which saw home badminton players producing a clean sweep here yesterday.

Defending champion Susi defied a 0-6 second-set deficit in her seesaw match against China's future star Wang Chen to post an 11- 8, 11-8 win and earn the winner's US$8,750 cash prize.

The tremendous feat, in the absence of a pack of big names, gave a happy ending to the tournament, which was troubled by unprepared facilities.

The women's pair of Eliza and Zelin Resiana assured Indonesia of the clean sweep later on in the day when they outplayed Denmark's top seeds Rikke Olssen and Helena Kirkegaard 15-7, 15- 4.

Joko Suprianto won one of the three all-Indonesian finals yesterday, beating his junior Budi Santoso 15-8, 15-4 for the men's singles crown. It was Joko's first home title after four previous attempts.

Defending mixed doubles champions Trikus Heryanto and Minarti Timur opened the show at the IKIP Sports Hall with a 15-8, 15-1 drubbing of compatriots Flandy Limpele and Riseu Rosalina.

The other all-Indonesian affair was in the men's doubles, in which Olympic bronze medalist Antonius Irianto and Denny Kantono pounded little-known Halim Heryanto and Davis Efraim to a 15-3, 15-10 win.

Susi quickly waltzed to a 6-2 lead in the first set, but slowed her pace to allow Wang, the semifinal conqueror of second- seeded Mia Audina, to pull level at 7-7.

Wang, who reached her second straight final after the Malaysian Open last week, upped the gear in the second set to leave the Indonesian Olympic bronze medalist on the receiving end.

Amid thunderous cheers from the crowd of 3,500 who filled the hall almost to capacity, an experienced Susi kept cool while 20- year-old Wang started to falter. Susi drew level at 8-8 and never let Wang take a breath to clinch the match.

"I was very doubtful in the second set because I had to fight against the wind," Susi explained her dreadful play in the second match. "Besides, Wang was very good in net crossing and she is getting more stable now."

Susi extended her winning streak over Wang to four against nil.

A lot of rallies

Indonesian coach Liang Chusia said that Wang forced Susi to play a lot of rallies because Susi is very good in defense. "Susi's key to victory was her right timing to unleash her smashes," said Liang, the architect behind Indonesia's Uber Cup double success.

Joko had an easy time to overcome Budi in their battle of the ages. The odds favored the experienced, despite Budi's never-say- die efforts.

"I had a feeling that I would win after beating Alan (Budikusuma) in the semifinals," Joko said after the victory, which earned him $11,375. Joko defeated former Olympic gold medalist Alan Budikusuma in three sets in Friday's semifinals.

Joko lost to fellow Indonesian Ardy Wiranata in last year's final, to add to his failures in 1989, 1991 and 1994.

The $175,000 Sony Badminton Indonesia Open was the first six- star tournament for Budi, who won the Polish Open last year. The 20-year-old player, who said he was not nervous playing his senior, had to settle for the runner-up's $7,000 in cash.

Budi clinched an all-Indonesian final in the men's singles with a hard-earned 10-15, 15-10, 15-13 semifinal win over Denmark's Peter Gade Christensen.

The Indonesian Open will raise its prize money to $250,000, starting next year to meet the new ruling announced by the International Badminton Federation.