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RI shuttlers topple England, look ahead to Denmark
Convincing opening: Indonesian women doubles’ pair Greysia Polii (left) and Apriyani Rahayu express relief and joy after securing a point in the 2019 Sudirman Cup opening match against Chloe Birch and Lauren Smith of England on Sunday
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onvincing opening: Indonesian women doubles’ pair Greysia Polii (left) and Apriyani Rahayu express relief and joy after securing a point in the 2019 Sudirman Cup opening match against Chloe Birch and Lauren Smith of England on Sunday.(Courtesy of PBSI)
The Indonesian team has gotten off to a good start at the 2019 Sudirman Cup in China, thrashing England 4 -1 in the first match of Group B at the Guangxi Sports Center Gymnasium, Nanning, China, on Sunday. Of the five matches contested, Indonesia dropped only one point, with mixed doubles pair Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti losing to Chris and Gabrielle Adcock.
The men’s doubles pair of Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon opened the pathway to victory, overcoming the resistance of Englishmen Chris Langridge and Marcus Ellis. The world number ones won the match in straight games 21-9, 21-18.
Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, who took to the court for the second match, outclassed Abigail Holden in straight games 21-10, 21-13. Despite showing too much power and class for her fellow 19-year-old opponent, Gregoria said she did not perform to her best in Sunday’s match.
“Overall, I feel like I could have done better. I made simple mistakes on several points that benefitted my opponent. There is much to improve,” she said, as quoted badmintonindonesia.org.
Despite Indonesia being up 2-0, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting did not become complacent in the third match. Playing against Toby Penty, Ginting, the current world number seven, showed his class to win 21-9, 21-12 over the world number 65 to seal the victory for team Indonesia.
“I didn’t expect to win so easily. I watched a video of when he played against [Denmark’s] Anders Antonsen and forced a rubber game. That means he is not easy to beat. I prepared well for this match,” said the 2018 Asian Games bronze medalist.
Women’s doubles’ pair Greysia Polii and Apriani Rahayu needed to put in extra effort to defeat the English women’s pair of Chloe Birch and Lauren Smith. The English pair held an early lead of 12-10 in the first game before Greysia and Apriani responded to the pressure to turn the match around, taking the game 21-16.
The second game was also tightly fought, with the pairs going point for point. Greysia and Apriani found themselves down 15-17 at a critical stage in the game, before rallying to again turn things around and win 21-18.
Unfortunately, Indonesia failed to achieve a clean sheet with Praven and Melati going down in the last match to the Adcock pair, 17-21, 18-21.
Indonesia’s mixed doubles coach Richard Mainaky said Praven and Melati’s loss was not a reflection of his protégé’s talent, and instead accused the English pair of playing unfairly by repeatedly asking for serves to be repeated when they were receiving by claiming they were not ready.
Richard said the English pair’s tactics disrupted the Indonesian pair’s concentration.
Indonesia will face Denmark on Wednesday in the last match of Group B to determine the two teams that will qualify for the quarterfinals. Denmark will begins its journey by playing England on Monday.
