T

he Indonesian badminton team will be looking to win the group stage in order to avoid doing battle with strong contenders in quarterfinal matches at the upcoming Sudirman Cup, according to an official of the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI).

'€œHopefully, we can emerge as the group'€™s winner so that we will not meet China, Korea or Japan in the quarterfinals. The group winner doesn'€™t have to be drawn,'€ team manager Rexy Mainaky said at Cipayung training camp on Thursday.

The PBSI announced the team lineup, comprising 20 players, to embark on a trip to Dongguan, China, the host of the world team badminton championship to be held between May 10 and 17.

Indonesia has been placed in Group C along with Denmark and England, while defending champion China is in Group A along with Thailand and Germany. Group B consists of Japan, Chinese Taipei and the US, while 2013 runner-up South Korea is pitted against India and Malaysia in Group D.

Two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals. Group winners will play runners-up.

Indonesia won its first and last trophy in 1989 when it hosted the inaugural edition. It has reached the final six times, but lost to South Korea twice and China four times.

Following the resignation of Tommy Sugiarto and Simon Santoso, the PBSI has rested its hopes largely upon the shoulders of young players, including Jonatan Christie, Firman Abdul Kholik and Ihsan Maulana Mustofa, in the men'€™s singles competition. They will be making their debut in the championship contests.

Young men'€™s doubles-pair Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon has also been included on the team, along with senior pair Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan and Singapore Open champions Angga Pratama and Ricky Karanda Suwardi.

'€œOn the men'€™s team we included Kevin and Marcus [young men'€™s doubles players] because we see that they have made improvements lately,'€ Rexy told journalists.

Kevin and Marcus, who were paired together earlier this year, haven'€™t yet won any tournaments, but their performance in the last few competitions, according to Rexy, had convinced coaches of their potential.

They advanced to the quarterfinals of the All England and the semifinals of the Swiss Open in March.

At the Malaysia Open, they were stopped in the round of 32 by Danish senior players Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen but '€œnot before putting in an amazing performance'€, according to Rexy. They were defeated 20-22, 21-13, 21-15.

At the Singapore Open they fell to second seeds Lee Sheng Mu and Tsai Chia Hsin of Taiwan in the quarterfinals.

'€œThey were defeated only because they lacked experience,'€ said Rexy.

He said he hoped their participation in the Sudirman Cup would help Kevin, Marcus and other young players gain experience.

'€œAt first we wanted to include Rosyita Eka Putri on the women'€™s squad, but she hasn'€™t recovered from the injury she sustained at the Germany Open in February. We decided to send Anggia instead,'€ Rexy said.