Four-time lucky for Tommy Sugiarto

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 05/09/2007 7:05 AM

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After failing to make it out of the last three Super Series qualifying rounds, at the All England, Swiss Open and Singapore Open, badminton player Tommy Sugiarto made the main draw of the US$250,000 Indonesia Open on Tuesday.

Playing at the Indoor Stadium at the Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, 18-year-old Tommmy, son of 1983 world champion Icuk Sugiarto, began the day by edging fellow Indonesian Dyonisius Hayom Rumbaka 21-12, 15-21, 21-16. He later romped to an easy 21-12, 21-8 victory over compatriot Wisnu Haryo Putro, earning qualification in the main draw.

But his tournament could come to a quick end as he is drawn to face seventh seed Peter Gade of Denmark in the first round. Gade won the Super Series opener Malaysia Open in January.

""Tomorrow will be a tough match for me. This is my first meeting with Gade,"" Tommy said. ""But I will play my best. It will be a good experience for me.""

Compatriots Andre Kurniawan Tedjono, Sartono Ekopranoto and Ari Yuli Wahyu also qualified for the main draw.

Indonesian ace Taufik Hidayat hopes to set a new record by winning the Indonesia Open for a seventh time. He currently shares the record of six titles with Ardy Wiranata.

But the tournament received news that Taufik's arch-rival, world champion and world No. 1 Lin Dan of China, was withdrawing.

Lin's absence, however, will not make it any easier for Taufik, who will meet third seed Chen Jin of China in the first round. It will be the second encounter for both shuttlers after Chen defeated Taufik at the China Open last year.

Tournament director Mimi Irawan said there was no official reason for Lin's absence. He was replaced by Jan Frohlich of the Czech Republic.

Joachim Persson of Denmark and Lee Tsuen Seng of Malaysia also pulled out of the tournament. They were replaced by Malaysians Kuan Beng Hong and Ismael Saman.

Three Indonesian women's singles players -- Pia Zebadiah, Firdasari Adriyanti and Maria Febe Kusumastuti -- also booked their spots in the main draw.

In the women's doubles, two qualifier slots went to host pairs Lita Nurlita/Nathalia Christine Poluakan and Nitya Krishinda Maheswari/Nadya Melati.

The 1997 men's doubles world champion Sigit Budiarto, who partners Fran Kurniawan, also reached the main draw after ousting Chew Choon Eng and Hong Chieng Hun of Malaysia 21-19, 15-21, 21-8.

In the mixed doubles, Devin Lahardi Fitriawan and Lita Nurlita of Indonesia made the tournament's main draw.

Comments (0) | Post comment

A | A | A |