Taufik, Lidya take Indonesia Open
Taufik, Lidya take Indonesia Open
By Primastuti Handayani
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Emerging champion Taufik Hidayat and
veteran Lidya Djaelawidjaja served up the men's and women's
singles titles for Indonesia at the US$150,000 Sanyo Indonesia
Open on Sunday.
Taufik, 18, overcame compatriot Budi Santoso in a hard-fought
17-14, 15-12 victory at Yuwana Mandala Stadium. Taufik, who lost
to eventual champion Yong Hock Kin of Malaysia in last year's
semifinals, was firmly supported by the nearly 2,000 spectators.
With the top Chinese and South Korean players giving the
tournament a miss, Indonesian players swept all of the events
with the exception of the women's doubles.
Taufik said he proved his mental and physical tenacity with
the victory after an event-packed season, including a loss last
week to Hariyanto Arbi in the Singapore final.
"Actually I feel exhausted after four competitions in a row,
but I proved to the Badminton Association of Indonesia that I
could compete in the Southeast Asian Games, the Singapore Open
and the Indonesia Open," Taufik said.
"I won two gold medals in the Games, reached the final in
Singapore and won the Indonesia Open. I wanted to prove that I
can compete in two tournaments in a row."
He showed his mettle in beating Budi, also the losing finalist
last year.
"I had to win this tournament because last week I lost in the
final in Singapore. In the semifinals, I had really hoped that I
would meet Hendrawan instead of Hariyanto because I just lost to
Hariyanto and the time is too short. I wasn't prepared to meet
him again here."
Taufik received $12,000 and Budi collected $6,000. Taufik also
was named the best male player in the tournament and earned a Rp
5 million ($640) bonus from sponsor Enervon C. He also collected
Rp 10 million from Aqua as the most promising player.
Showing her quarterfinal victory over top seeded Camilla
Martin was no fluke, Lidya beat compatriot Ellen Angelina 11-8,
9-11, 11-2.
The victory fulfilled her ambition to take her second Grand
Prix title after seven years at the Indonesian Badminton Center,
where she was long overshadowed by the now semiretired Susi
Susanti and Mia Audina, who recently moved to the Netherlands.
Playing aggressively from the outset, Lidya controlled the
match tempo with offensive lobs and smashes.
"I was very nervous in the beginning because I always lose to
her in our simulation matches. This time I wanted to take revenge
and, besides, the prize money is big enough," Lidya said with a
smile.
Best player
Lidya won $10,350 and Ellen received $4,950. Lydia also was
named best women's player, receiving Rp 5 million from Enervon C,
and an equal amount from Axalan as the tournament's most dynamic
player.
"Ellen is a very tough player and I tried really hard not to
make unforced errors despite the wind on the court."
Lidya, who aims to lift her world ranking from 16 to 10 by the
end of this year, acknowledged her victory was undermined by the
absence of top Chinese, South Korean and Japanese players.
"I usually lose to the Chinese and their absence apparently
gave me an advantage in winning. But I hope my win here will give
me more confidence in every match so that I also will have the
chance to be a champion," said the 25-year-old player.
In the mixed doubles, the longtime partnership of Tri
Kusherjanto and Minarti Timur won their fifth consecutive title
in the tournament by defeating teammates Bambang Suprianto and
Zelin Resiana 15-3, 15-4.
Tri and Minarto pocketed $9,150 while Bambang and Zelin earned
$6,000.
In the women's doubles, Denmark's Helene Kirkgaard and Olsen
spoilt Indonesia's party by beating Elysa Nathanael and Deyana
Lomban 15-12, 15-7.
In the all-Indonesian men's doubles final, veterans Ricky
Subagja and Rexy Mainaky beat the top seeds Candra Wijaya and
Tony Gunawan 15-12, 15-8.