Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
For the first time in 25 years, no Indonesian shuttler won a title at the Indonesia Open.
The last local hope, the mixed doubles pair of Nova Widianto and Lilyana Natsir, lost Sunday in the final of the US$250,000 tournament. The Indonesians fell 21-16, 21-11 to fifth seeds Zheng Bo and Gao Ling of China, sending the crowd at the Senayan indoor stadium in Jakarta home disappointed.
Also disappointment was Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) chairman Sutiyoso, also the governor of Jakarta, who was in the stands for the match.
""The defeat puts our goal of winning back the Sudirman Cup in serious risk. Nova and Lilyana are among our main hopes for the event. This may be their poorest showing,"" said Sutiyoso.
""I am very disappointed and displeased with their performance. Even the fans went home before the match ended.""
Indonesia is gearing up for the mixed team Sudirman Cup in Glasgow, Scotland, from June 11-17. The country won the coveted title in its maiden event in Jakarta, in 1989.
It has fallen short since in its efforts to recapture the trophy, which has passed between six-time champion China and two-time champ South Korea.
Asked how the PBSI planned to respond to the disappointing showing at the Indonesia Open, Sutiyoso said: ""We will try to get Rexy to come back and coach our doubles.""
Sutiyoso was referring to Rexy Mainaky, the 1996 Olympics gold medalist in the men's doubles with partner Ricky Subagdja. He now coaches Malaysia.
Two of his players, Mohd. Zakry Abdul Latif and Mohd. Fairuzizuan Mohd. Tazari, reached the men's doubles final, falling to Chinese world champions Fu Haifeng and Cai Yun 21-17, 22-20.
""I also will dismiss the men's doubles pair of Luluk Hadiyanto and Alvent Yulianto (from the team) as they have shown no progress. We may invite Candra (Wijaya) back,"" Sutiyoso added.
Candra -- who won gold at the 2000 Olympics with men's doubles partner Tony Gunawan, who now represents the United States -- is listed on the Sudirman Cup squad.
Sutiyoso said the mixed doubles pair of Flandy Limpele and Vita Marissa, who won the recent Singapore Open, might be tapped to replace Nova and Lilyana on the squad if they did not show improved play.
Nova acknowledged after the final that they played ""below par"".
""We were too tense and under heavy pressure as we were the only hope left for a title.""
Lilyana said they tried everything to put their opponents on their heels, but nothing seemed to work.
""They seemed to anticipate everything we did,"" she said.
China came close to a sweep of the titles at the Indonesia Open, but Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia crashed the party by defeating world No. 2 Bao Chunlai 21-15, 21-16 in the men's singles.
""I was fully motivated to win. I didn't give Bao a chance to attack me with his strong smashes,"" said the fifth seed, who recently reunited with coach Misbun Sidek after a slump in form over the past few months.
""I want to be world No. 1 again and my personal target is to win the World Championships in Kuala Lumpur in August,"" he said.
