Taufik ready for Sudirman Cup despite missing warm-up

JAKARTA (JP): Men's singles shuttler Taufik Hidayat will still join Indonesia's squad for the Sudirman Cup mixed team event despite his absence at a warm up session last week.

"Taufik's absence at last week's session was not a big deal. The most important thing is that he will be ready for the Sudirman Cup," training director Christian Hadinata told The Jakarta Post by phone on Tuesday.

"He had just returned from the Asia Cup in Singapore which had a more demanding environment than the warm up session. So there is no problem at all."

The other three shuttlers competing at the Asia Cup -- Hendrawan, Candra Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto -- managed to play at the warmup. Taufik opted to go home to Bandung to resume training a day prior to the warm up event.

"Taufik had his own way of recovering from such a demanding tournament, preferring drilling and outdoor training. He's different from Hendrawan who prefers to play games," Christian said.

"Besides, the warmup is not the only way to evaluate a shuttlers' performance because we can always monitor their progress at routine training sessions."

"We only expect Taufik, as well as other shuttlers, to reach their peak in Seville. Until then, we just don't know."

Taufik himself confirmed his readiness for the biennial event to take place from May 28 until June 3 at the San Pablo stadium in Seville, Spain.

"Of course I will be ready for the Sudirman Cup with my name on the list," he told the Post.

The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) also named Johan Hadikusuma as the fourth men's singles shuttler to compete at the World Championships from June 4 to June 10 also in Seville.

Johan will accompany Taufik, Hendrawan and Marlev Mainaky.

"Johan's rank is higher than Budi Santoso and Ronny Agustinus. Other countries will file protests if we send lower-ranked shuttlers," Christian said.

Indonesia is also sending its three best men's doubles; the All England champions, Tony Gunawan and Halim Heryanto, Japan Open winners and former world champions Candra and Sigit and world number two Flandy Limpele and Eng Hian.

Japan Open winners Bambang Supriyanto and Minarti Timur will lead the mixed doubles pairs of Tri Kusheryanto and Indarti Issoliana and second layer pair of Nova Widhianto and Vita Marissa.

In the women's division, Lidya Djaelawidjaya and Yuli Marfuah will play in the singles while Deyana Lomban and Indarti, also Etty Tantri and Vita will perform in the women's doubles.

Christian pointed out that the event would be a perfect moment for the women's shuttlers to prove their ability.

"They should take all critics as a motivation to perform better. They must prove themselves as being able to attain good results."

"At least they must be able to equal the last championships' results. In the singles, we hope they can reach the quarterfinals or hopefully the semifinals.

In an effort to gain a boost in spirits, the shuttlers visited Sudirman's grave at Tanah Kusir public cemetery in South Jakarta earlier on Tuesday.

Sudirman, whom the trophy is named after, chaired PBSI from 1952 to 1963 and from 1968 to 1981. He was admitted as a member of the International Badminton Federation in 1973 and became a deputy chairman two years later. He passed away on June 10, 1986. (nvn)