RI get last test before Thomas Cup

The Jakarta Post ,  Johor Bahru, Malaysia   |  Wed, 04/16/2008 12:31 PM  |  Sports

The Badminton Asia Championships, which begins main round matches today, gives Indonesian players a chance to bounce back from their poor performances at recent tournaments and to reclaim their reputation as potential winners of the Thomas Cup.

Because hopes are not high for the women's team in the Uber Cup, Indonesia will focus on the men's Thomas Cup in hope of reviving the glory days. The two tournaments run concurrently.

Unluckily, the harbinger from the tournaments leading up to the championships has been less than encouraging. The shuttlers of the red and white fell apart, having to accept only one of 20 titles on offer in four Super Series tournaments on the World Badminton Federation calendar.

World champions Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan were the only winners among the traveling outfit, taking the men's doubles title in the Malaysian Super Series early this year. In the three super series that followed, Indonesian players were unable to withstand their Asian rivals China, Korea and Malaysia as well as European contender Denmark.

A few others had their title challenge smashed in final rounds. Luluk Hadiyanto/Alvent Yulianto and Flandy Limpele/Vita Marissa faltered in the finals at the Korean Super Series. So did Nova Widianto/Lilyana in the All England Open, falling short of another world-championship coronation.

Markis/Hendra had a good opportunity to equal their Korean rivals but ended up losing in the final in Lausanne.

Unfortunately, the men's singles players, spearheaded by Olympic and world champion Taufik Hidayat, are singing the same tune. They reached no further than the quaterfinals. Most players, including Thomas Cup team backbone Sony Dwi Kuncoro and Simon, fell before the quarterfinals.

Taufik's injured hip has put him on the sidelines of the Asian Championships, leaving Indonesia's hopes on Sony and Simon to shake off a losing streak.

They will prove whether they are worthy of contending the Thomas Cup, although team manager Lius Pongoh rejected the notion their Asian Championship's performance had anything to do with the Thomas Cup.

"I don't agree with that. The players have nothing to prove for the Thomas Cup," he said.

"Every tournament has its own challenges and are different from one another. The Thomas Cup is about team work. This is an individual event. The result has no bearing on the next event," he said.

Indonesia is deploying 25 players -- five players in the men's singles team, three pairs to play doubles, three pairs in the women's doubles and six pairs in mixed doubles. The event is seen as a mini world championship with top-ranked players participating.

Around 300 players from 24 countries are contending this year's event, which is set to bring a new level of competitiveness as the results of the matches will determine rankings and therefore Beijing Olympic team placements.

The Indonesian men's doubles lineup has a new pair to mettle for a spot in the Thomas Cup squad, with Nova Widianto, who is also playing with Lilyana Natsir in the mixed doubles, joining Candra Wijaya.

It will be reunion for both, although they have never played together internationally.

"We are familiar with each other's game and we'll try to show that in this tournament," said Nova whose one-time pairing with Candra gave them a gold medal at 2004 National Games.

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