S

imon Santoso is focusing on improving his world ranking at the upcoming BCA Indonesia Open Metlife BWF World Super Series Premier 2014, slated to be held from June 17-22 at the Bung Karno Indoor Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

'€œNow I'€™m [physically] fit and quite stable [in performance]. I want to focus on improving my rankings. I need to fight my way from the qualifying round [in the Indonesia Open],'€ said Simon as quoted by kompas.com on Monday.

Simon, who won the Indonesia Open in 2012 after defeating Du Pengyu of China, has been battling with injuries in the past year.

His best world ranking was No. 5 in 2012 before injuries hit him last year. His ranking dropped to 48 in June 2013 and lowered to 58 in February this year. But he managed to bounce back and now he is world No. 28.

Due to injuries and a series of his poor performances last year, Simon decided to withdraw from the national training camp in Cipayung, East Jakarta, earlier this year and has been training with Tangkas Specs Badminton Jakarta since.

Simon fought his way up from that point onward, scoring some impressive results along the way.

In the Singapore Open Super Series in April, he clinched the men'€™s singles'€™ title, which was previously won by compatriot Tommy Sugiarto, after defeating world number one Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in the final.

In the world group competition '€” the Thomas Cup '€” last month, he helped Indonesia advance to the semifinal where the national squad lost to Malaysia.

Simon'€™s achievement encouraged the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) to recall him to the national training camp.

He was among 16 new recruits summoned to replace 13 removed players including Sony Dwi Kuncoro, Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka, Aprilia Yuswandari and Maria Febe Kusumastuti. Men'€™s singles coach Joko Suprianto has also been removed.

However, Simon refused to comment on the issue, saying the PBSI had yet to officially inform him.

Meanwhile, women'€™s singles player Bellaetrix Manupputty must carry the expectation of reaching at least the quarterfinals of the US$750,000 Indonesia Open tournament.

'€œBella is the only player who has that chance [of reaching the quarterfinals],'€ said coach Marlev Mainaky.

Aside from Bellaetrix, there are only four other female players who do not have to go through a qualifying round in the tournament '€” namely Linda Wenifanetri, Aprilia Yuswandari, Hera Desi and Maria Febe Kusumastuti.

Bellaetrix faces a tough challenge in her opening match, against Busanan Ongbumrungpan of Thailand in the first round.

Marlev said should Bellaetrix beat Ongbumrungpan, she would have a smooth path to the quarterfinals. He predicted Bellaetrix would meet Taiwan'€™s Tai Tzu Ying, a player whom she defeated in the Malaysia Open in January.

An Indonesian female player last won the Indonesia Open women'€™s singles title in 2001, when Ellen Angelina topped the competition.