Truism, platitudes at Thomas, Uber Cups pre-match talks

Truism, platitudes at Thomas, Uber Cups pre-match talks

JAKARTA (JP): The Thomas Cup and Uber Cup pre-match interviews
are times when everybody says "We'll do our best."

The hour-long interviews are held daily at 11 a.m. at the
Jakarta Hilton International hotel, where all the teams are
staying. Each interview brings together the team managers of the
groups that will play the following day and each will also "do
their best" not to reveal his team's strategy.

"Secret," Carsten Laugesen, Danish Thomas Cup and Uber Cup
team manager, said curtly yesterday when asked how his team would
play against South Korea this evening.

Aware of pat answers, reporters ask questions such as on the
newly installed air-conditioning system at the Senayan sports
hall where the matches are being held.

"It makes a big difference. It should have been done 10 or 15
years ago," commented Laugesen.

Another common phrase is "They are a very strong team", and
every team manager insists that his team will never take its
opponent lightly.

"There are no easy matches," said Laugesen.

Even Malaysia, which will play long-shot Thailand this
evening, says it is fielding its top guns.

"Yes, we'll play our best team although Thailand is the
underdog," said team manager Punch Gunalan.

Thailand, which lost 0-5 to Denmark on Wednesday evening,
hopes to fare better against Malaysia this evening.

"They are of the same height," said team manager Vanchai
Sansaniyakulvilai.

"The last time we played it was against the Danes, who were
tall," he astutely observed.

"My players were scared when they saw the tall Danish
players," he lamented, to which Laugesen said "Sorry. Next time I
will ask them to go on their knees."

Commenting on his team's next Thomas Cup match against South
Korea, Laugesen said he was very anxious because Korea is a
strong team to beat.

"But I'm confident," he said, adding that hopefully his team
would win two doubles and one singles against Malaysia, whom he
said performed well in edging South Korea 3-2 on Wednesday.

South Korea's manager Kim Joong-so had something similar to
say about his side's next opponent.

"I think Denmark is a very strong team, especially its singles
and first doubles," said Kim.

Commenting on China, Laugesen pointed out that the Chinese
team is a mere shell of its former self.

"I don't think they (China) can beat Denmark, Malaysia, or
even South Korea. Denmark has a better chance against Indonesia
than China," he said.

Uber Cup

While badminton buffs do not favor Indonesia to capture the
Uber Cup, world number one Susi Susanti however, believes "we
still have a good chance to win the coveted trophy."

"Many pundits say that South Korea and China have better
chances to win the Cup, but for me, I could say Indonesia could
win it," Susi said.

She said assessments of the teams' strengths on paper cannot
be used as the only yardstick since they have proven hopelessly
wrong on many occasions, especially in a team event like the
Thomas and Uber Cups.

Susi cited Indonesia 's upset defeats at the hands of Malaysia
in the last three Thomas Cup championships. "Who would dare
suggest that Malaysia would beat Indonesia because on paper our
players were better than the Malaysians." (lem)