Ya...i remember that indonesia never fails to produce world champs...They are experts in producing doubles specialists..but, their doubles players are not getting any younger (candra, sigit etc...) and still they are not able to find replacements for them...Luluk and Alven are good, but they still cant match their seniors when they were that of age...The only reliable singles player besides taufik is sony...although sony is not considered as a world champ yet, i think he has a good future..He looks very calm on court and shows no sign of emotions...No expressions, nothing...He is very disciplined and young too...just 20...
5 months ago, I was in Copenhagen and watched the Copenhagen Masters. When I saw Gade toy with Taufik I thought to myself: "Taufik is never going to make it back. What a waste of talent." Sure, he had been on vacation with his girlfriend, but he was just so far behind I couldn't believe it. He was sluggish, possibly overweight, and employed very strange tactics. Actually, he didn't even seem to have a game plan other than to try to make some fancy trick shots. I was quite saddened by this. Never count Taufik out, but this time I wonder...
The word is "princely" not "pricely". Taufik was treated like a "prince". Whatever he asks, he gets. Nobody wants to anger him and most treat him with undeserved respect because he is seemingly the best player in Indonesia today. Even when he threatened to leave Indonesia for Singapore, the PBSI managed to prevent him by making it very difficult for the SBA with an unrealistic transfer fee. Remember at the beginning of this year Ronald Susilo's Indonesian coach, Mulyo, was recalled back to coach Taufik, who must have demanded the return of his former favourite coach. So the PBSI gave in to many of Taufik's demands it seemed. In a way, it is a blessing in disguise for Singapore. Had Taufik remained in Singapore, our young aspirants will have a rather poor role model. Punching the driver is certainly not to be emulated by our young. On the other hand, Ronald has turned out to be a better role model - friendly, humble, approachable and showing no airs. He is especially much adored with his recent successes at the AE (Semi-Finalist) and at the Japan Open (Champion) by beating a highly ranked Chinese player, Bao Chunlai, who in turn, sent Taufik packing in the TC. Taufik has often been regarded as a much better player than Ronald, but I'm not too sure whether it is still the case now. In Ronald we see a young man dedicated to his dreams of becoming a world-class player and an eventual champion and working very hard to achieve this goal despite the limited resources provided by tiny Singapore. I hope Taufik better learn from his recent mistakes and turn over a new leaf quickly. Otherwise, reactions of him will change from love to hate by his hitherto admirers.
Taufik is too spoiled. Maybe he should be kicked out so that he can have some time to think about his life goals. Then possibly he will retuan like Mia?
