Taufik pulls out of All England, Markis/Hendra through in Germany

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Athens gold medalist Taufik Hidayat will have to put his quest for the All England men's singles title on hold for another year after pulling out of the tournament on Friday.

The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) sent a letter to the All England organizing committee on Friday, informing it of the sixth seed's withdrawal from the event next week.

Taufik, twice runner up at the sport's most prestigious tournament, confirmed that he would not be competing, but was mum on the reason.

"Yes, I withdrew, but it is better to talk to my coach Mulyo Handoyo," he said.

Mulyo could not be reached, but association officials said Taufik was suffering from a knee injury. However, the talented but temperamental star from Bandung was involved in an ugly spat with PBSI head of development affairs and director of the national training center Icuk Sugiarto last month.

The two almost came to blows during a practice session when Taufik complained that he only received 50 percent of his bonus for winning in the Olympics.

Meanwhile, in Mulheim an der Ruhr, Germany, unseeded men's doubles pair Markis Kidho/Hendra Setiawan rallied on Thursday to win their quarterfinal against Koreans Hwang Ji Man/Lee Yong Dae in the German Open.

Markis/Hendra, ranked 26 in the world, lost the first game 4- 15 to the Korean pair, but came back to take the second 15-11. The Indonesians were little troubled in winning the third 15-6.

It set up a last four fight against top seeded Jens Eriksen/Martin H. Lundgaard, who defeated Koreans Ha Tae Kwon/Yim Bang Eun 17-14, 15-9.

The other semifinal will feature sixth seeded Jung Jae Sung/Lee Jae Jin of Korea and second seeded Fu Haifeng/Cai Yun of China.

The Koreans defeated unseeded Malaysians Chan Chong Ming/Koo Kien Keat 15-9, 8-15, 15-12, while Fu/Cai thrashed eighth seeded Indonesian-born Tony Gunawan/Howard Bach of the United States 15- 0, 13-15, 15-11.

Markis/Hendra, who overcame the Japanese duo Shuici Sakamoto/Shintaro Ikeda in the first round 15-7, 15-7, and seventh seeded Chong Tan Fook/Chew Choon Eng of Malaysia 15-7, 7- 15, 11-15, have a good record against Eriksen/Lungaard.

They edged athe veteran Danes, who will be top seeds at the All England, in the semis of the Denmark Open last year 13-15, 15-12, 15-7.

Other Indonesians did not fare as well at the All England warm-up tournament.

Women's singles player Maria Kristin lost in the qualification rounds, women's doubles pair Jo Novita/Lita Nurlita lost in the second, while Gresya Polii/Heni Budiman and Natalia Poluakan/Rani Mundiasti failed to pass the first hurdle.