Underdog tag motivates female shuttlers

Underdog tag motivates female shuttlers

JAKARTA (JP): Being an underdog in the Thomas and Uber Cup
championships in Kuala Lumpur next week has motivated Indonesia's
female shuttlers to turn the presumption upside down.

"Being an underdog makes us want to prove that it's not right.
We have the chance to show our real strength in the team event,"
said second singles Ellen Angelina, world ranked 23.

"We have trained and practiced very hard. The reason for being
absent in the Japan Open was to prepare ourselves better in the
remaining one month."

Teammate Lidya Djaelawidjaja shared the same view. "The
Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) only targets us to
reach the semifinals but we are committed to go through to the
final," said the world number 21.

Women's doubles player Elysa Nathanael said, "We have prepared
ourselves better for the Uber Cup. People can say we performed
badly in individual tournaments but that won't happen in a team
event."

"Compared to individual events, we are in top condition for
the Uber Cup as we've been prepared in the last month."

Badminton lovers said Indonesia's team had little hope in the
Uber Cup event as the country lacked good shuttlers since the
retirement of 1992 Olympic gold medalist Susi Susanti and the
1996 Olympic silver medalist Mia Audina moved to the Netherlands.

PBSI chairman Subagyo Hadisiswoyo only hopes the shuttlers
will reach the semifinals of the event.

Indonesia is in the pink group with Japan, Denmark and
Malaysia, while defending champion China is in the purple group
with South Korea, Sweden and the Netherlands.

Former PBSI officials Ferry Sonneville and Titus Kurniadi
expressed the same opinion, that Indonesian shuttlers only had a
slight chance to win the Uber Cup.

"It will be really difficult to bring home the Uber Cup
although we still have to do our best. However, we must not think
only of the short period but for a longer term. In the future, we
hope our female shuttlers can fulfill our ambition to win the
Cup," Ferry said during PBSI 49th anniversary ceremonies at the
Indonesian Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta.

"I personally think it's very tough to win the Uber Cup
considering that China, our rival in 1998, is very dominant in
singles and doubles," Titus said.

Speaking of the first match against Japan on May 11, Lidya
said, "Technically we are better than the Japanese but they are
tough players so we must play tougher."

Lidya is expected to meet world number nine Yasuko Mizui in
the first singles match.

"I have seen her playing. She's very tough so we must be very
patient in rallying with her. The key is not to make unforced
errors during the match."

Ellen, who is likely to meet the 1998 Asian Games gold
medalist Kanako Yonekura, said she had visualized Yonekura's
playing.

"I only have to improve my accuracy and speed. I have
additional sessions after practice to work on those two factors."

Elysa and Minarti Timur, a mixed doubles specialist, shared
the same idea, that Japanese players were tough and always chase
for the shuttlecock all over the court.

"Their strokes are not dangerous but they always chase the
shuttlecock anywhere," said Minarti, who joined the Uber Cup team
for the second time.

PBSI celebrated its anniversary by inviting 100 orphans to
join the shuttlers in the commemoration. It will also stage
shadow puppet shows Saturday evening to entertain people living
near the center. (yan)