World badminton queen Susi suffers Asiad biggest upset
World badminton queen Susi suffers Asiad biggest upset
HIROSHIMA, Japan (Agencies): World badminton queen Susi Susanti's dreams of winning an Asian Games gold medal for Indonesia went up in flames yesterday when she crashed to Japan's Hisako Mizui in the semifinals.
Mizui, whose ranking is in the 70s, produced the biggest upset ever in Asiad badminton competition with an easy 11-4, 11-5 win.
Indonesia, however, made up for the shocking loss by assuring itself of a men's singles gold medal after Joko Suprianto and Hariyanto Arbi secured berths in the finals. The world number one pair of Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky also marched into today's final against old foes Cheah Soon Kit and Soo Beng Kiang of Malaysia.
Olympic champion Susi, who survived a nail-biting three setter against China's Han Jingna in Thursday's quarterfinals, found her characteristic long rallies snuffed by the plucky Mizui whom she had beaten in their previous six encounters.
Mizui did everything right while keeping her patience to wait for Susi's unforced errors. The home favorite hardly broke a sweat in the first set as Susi became increasingly frustrated.
Mizui will now take on third seeded Bang Soo-hyun of South Korea who also upset China's second seeded Ye Zhaoying 10-12, 11- 8, 11-3.
"I'm very sorry to all Indonesian people for failing to live up to their expectations. I lost my concentration during the match," said a dejected Susi, who bid her last Asian Games appearance yesterday.
Susi has won all major titles and the Asian Games gold medal is the only one left for her. She lost to China's Tan Jiuhong also in the semifinals in Beijing for years ago. Susi led a losing team against South Korea in the women's team final on Sunday.
Mizui said she stepped into the court without bearing too much burden against her world number one. "Maybe Lady Luck smiled on me," she said.
Indonesian team manager Lutfi Hamid could not wipe the trace of disappointment off his face, but remained in a calm mood, saying: "Winning or losing are what we have to face in competitions. Susi is just a human being."
All Indonesia
The men's singles semifinals followed form with Indonesian Joko beating South Korea's Kim Hak-kyun 15-6, 15-5. Joko, rated number five in the latest world grand prix rankings, found no resilient opposition from Kim whom he beat in the men's team final.
Reigning All-England champion Hariyanto drilled his jumping smashes to whip Chinese number one Dong Jiong 15-7, 15-7 on his way to entering the men's singles final in his debut.
Both Indonesian Thomas Cuppers Joko and Hariyanto joined the winning team in Sunday's final when they routed South Korea 5-0 for their country's first gold medal in the Games.
In the men's doubles semifinals, Cheah Soon Kit and Soo Beng Kiang of Malaysia beat China's Jiang Xin and Huang Zhanzhong 15- 9, 15-5. Top seeded pair of Rexy and Ricky continued their winning streak against Chen Kang and Chen Hoyong of China 15-5 15-10.
The in-form Indonesian duo, who gave their side the 3-0 winning lead over South Korea on Sunday, last beat their Malaysian opponents in Malaysia Open last August.
South Korea also secured two gold medals from their women's doubles and mixed doubles players. World champion Chung So-young and Gil Young-ah outlasted China's Ge Fei and Gu Jun 9-15, 15-7, 15-10, to meet Shim Eun-jung and Jang Hye-ock, 15-2, 15-5 winners of Japan's Tomomi Matsuo and Kyoko Sasage.
In the mixed doubles semifinals, Kang Kyung-jin and Ang Hye- ock of South Korea beat Kim Hock Yap and Lee Wai Leng of Malaysia 15-11, 15-3. Another South Korean mixed doubles Yoo Yong-sung and Chung So-young edged out Indonesia's Rudy Gunawan and Elysa 15-7, 15-6.
With two golds already in hand, South Korea has a big chance to add its badminton laurels to three through Bang.