Taufik and Marlev fall in Taipei Open quarters

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia was shut out of the men's singles of the US$150,000 Chinese Taipei Open after Taufik Hidayat and Marlev Mainaky lost in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Taufik, the fifth seed in the top rated event, bowed out to world number one Peter Gade Christensen of Denmark in a see-saw contest 12-15, 15-17, while second seeded Marlev was upset by the veteran Dane Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen 9-15, 12-15.

"Taufik could not maintain his concentration and control his emotion at critical points. He started to make unforced errors and he played hesitantly on those points," coach Mulyo Handoyo said in a telephone interview.

Taufik, 18, trailed 4-12 in the first game before winning a string of consecutive points to draw even. It was in vain as the 22-year-old Dane took the next three points for the game.

But the Indonesian took a 5-0 lead in the second game before Gade Christensen scrambled back to lead 7-5. Taufik came back to lead 11-8 before the Dane won five points in a row. The Indonesian earned 14-13 but Gade Christensen sealed his win 17- 15.

Mulyo said Marlev was lulled into the rhythm of the 1996 Olympic gold medalist.

"Marlev should have played at the net and exploited his leaping smashes instead of forcing drives to the Dane. But he applied the wrong strategy and started to make many unforced errors," he said.

In the first game, Hoyer-Larsen, 34, was untroubled in winning 15-9, but in the second game Marlev raced ahead 8-1. Hoyer-Larsen equaled the score at 8-8 before Marlev rebounded to lead 12-8. There were several exchanges of service before the Dane prevailed 15-12.

Indonesia has two pairs in the mixed doubles semifinals on Saturday. Tri Kusheryanto and Minarti Timur gained an easy win over Malaysia's Chow Choon Eng and Choor Hoi Yie 15-5, 15-6. They will meet arch rivals Michael Sogaard and Rikke Olsen of Denmark, who beat sixth seeded Lee Dong-soo and Lee Hyo-jung of South Korea.

Bambang Suprianto and Zelin Resiana also claimed a semifinal ticket after the Malaysian pairs of Pang Chen Chang and Liem Pek Chia retired in the second game due to Pang's foot injury. The Indonesians will meet another Danish duo, Jens Eriksen and Mette Schjoldager.

Indonesia also is assured a semifinal ticket in the men's doubles as top seeded Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan faced compatriots Sigit Budiarto and Halim Heryanto later Friday evening. (yan)