The Hindu : Sport / Badminton : Indonesia optimistic

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 07, 2004

Sport

Sport - Badminton

Indonesia optimistic

JAKARTA, MAY 6. Indonesia says it can win the Thomas Cup for the sixth consecutive time when the world's top shuttlers begin competing here on Friday for the sport's most coveted trophy.

But it will face a tough battle against favourite China and outsider Denmark, which is looking to become the first winning team from outside Asia in the 55-year history of the men's tournament.

``We are ready to fight to the utmost of our ability,'' Indonesian team manager Lutfi Hamid told The Associated Press on Thursday. ``We are not scared of anyone.''

While Indonesians have stuttered in single's competitions in recent years, the country has won badminton's team title 13 times since 1946, including the last six times the competition has been staged.

Indonesia's legions of noisy supporters could be a key factor in its title bid. Capacity crowds are expected in the recently renovated Senayan indoor sports stadium.

China is also favourite in the women's competition — the Uber Cup — which is held alongside the men's event.

Since the 1950s, Indonesia has been ranked as one of the world's badminton powerhouses. The game provides the developing nation with its only source of regular international sporting success and recognition.

Still, its star players have under-performed recently. Team captain Sony Dwi Kuncoro is the only player in the world's top ten. The country's most popular player and current Asian champion Taufik Hidayat is languishing at number 17 in the rankings.

China — which is hoping for an unprecedented gold medal sweep in the Olympics later this year — occupies five of the top 10 spots. The team will be led by World No. 1 and No. 2, Lin Dan and Chen Hong.

Denmark, headed by former World No. 1 Peter Gade, has lost in the finals of the Thomas Cup six times. Some say that this time around could be its winning year.

Gade, who is playing some of his best badminton since a knee injury threatened his career a couple of years ago, said he would be unfazed by Indonesia's notoriously partisan crowd.

``It doesn't matter what they are yelling or shouting about because we don't understand them anyway,'' he said earlier this week. — AP

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