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Confidence abounds for New Delhi badminton trip
The select few: Shuttlers to be fielded in the upcoming Thomas and Uber Cup tournaments pose with Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) chair Gita Wirjawan (center back) in Jakarta Friday
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The select few: Shuttlers to be fielded in the upcoming Thomas and Uber Cup tournaments pose with Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) chair Gita Wirjawan (center back) in Jakarta Friday. The players will train in Kudus, Central Java, before they leave for the competition, which will take place in New Delhi, India, from May 18 through 25. (JP/P.J. Leo) (PBSI) chair Gita Wirjawan (center back) in Jakarta Friday. The players will train in Kudus, Central Java, before they leave for the competition, which will take place in New Delhi, India, from May 18 through 25. (JP/P.J. Leo)
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span class="inline inline-none">The select few: Shuttlers to be fielded in the upcoming Thomas and Uber Cup tournaments pose with Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) chair Gita Wirjawan (center back) in Jakarta Friday. The players will train in Kudus, Central Java, before they leave for the competition, which will take place in New Delhi, India, from May 18 through 25. (JP/P.J. Leo)
The Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) has announced a shortlist of players for the Thomas and Uber Cup championships with the country's title hopes boosted by the recent convincing performance by its players at the All England badminton championships in the UK.
The upcoming Thomas Cup, the world men's team competition, and its women's version, the Uber Cup, will be held in New Delhi, India, from May 18 to 25.
The list, released at the Senayan National Golf Club on Friday, provisionally includes 30 players, with the men's team comprising eight singles players and five doubles pairs with the women's team made up of six singles players and four doubles pairs.
The men's team is spearheaded by All England champions Hendra Setiawan/Mohammad Ahsan, who are expected to continue their winning form in New Delhi as Indonesia is looking to end its decade-long title drought in the Thomas Cup.
Included on the list are three young shuttlers Jonatan Christie, Ihsan Maulana Mustofa and Hanna Ramadini, who have just joined the national training center this year.
'Our athletes in Cipayung [PBSI training center] and those who train outside Cipayung have prepared their best for the upcoming tournaments. We definitely have high expectations for this year's Thomas Cup and Uber Cup,' PBSI chairman Gita Wirjawan said during a press conference.
Prior to the announcement, Gita handed over a total of Rp 2 billion (US$176,786) in bonuses to All England champions Hendra/Ahsan (men's doubles) and Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir (mixed doubles), with the latter wining the world's oldest badminton tournament three times in a row.
Smaller cash bonuses were also awarded to their coaches, Herry Iman Pierngadi (men's doubles) and Richard Mainaky (mixed doubles).
'We hope their achievements can inspire other shuttlers to achieve the same success or even accomplish more,' said Gita.
He added that aside from the All England, the PBSI was targeting four other milestones this year: the Thomas Cup, the BWF World Championships, the Asian Games and the BWF Super Series Premier.
'The last time we won the Thomas Cup was in 2002 and even longer for the Uber Cup in 1996. Almost two decades ago,' Gita said.
'The Thomas Cup and Uber Cup will be the indication of our success this year. Therefore, we have to fight tooth and nail in both tournaments,' he added.
According to PBSI spokeswoman Yuni Kartika, the main teams for the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup will be announced sometime at the end of April after the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup simulation in Surakarta, Central Java.
'Each team for the Thomas and Uber Cups will include 10 players,' she said.
The Indonesian team is seeded first in the Thomas Cup and fifth in the Uber Cup, behind China, Japan, Thailand and South Korea.
Thomas Cup manager Christian Hadinata had previously expressed optimism over the lineup of his team, which includes two of the world's top players, the BWF world number four Tommy Sugiarto and world number one Hendra/Ahsan.
In the recent All England tournament, Indonesia's men's singles shuttlers were all sent home early, with Tommy, still struggling with his fractured right foot, being knocked out in the first round, while Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka failed to get past the second round.
Badminton veteran Imelda Wiguna, who has been appointed team manager for the Uber Cup said she would focus on developing confidence in her squad.
'We are all working on how to build their confidence to face whoever their opponents will be. That's important for them,' Imelda said.
