I haven't been able to log in since I flew back home to JKT. I am now in an internet cafe and will now summarize my thoughts on the AE 2006. First, Team Indonesia's performance was abysmal and the only pair able to reach semi-final was Nova Widianto/Lilyana Natsir. However, they too lose pretty tamely to the runner-up Nathan Robertson/Gail Emms. Even before I flew back, only 2 pairs remained in the quarter-final and I didn't really expect Luluk Hadiyanto/Alvent Yulianto to lose to Malaysia's no 4 pair of Abdul Latif Mohd Zakry/Gan Teik Chai. The Malaysians were one class below, but Luluk/Alvent still lost. Maybe it's time for them to be split up? Candra Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto were unlucky to be drawn with Choong Tan Fook/Lee Wan Wah. It was a tight match and the Malaysians won it. It turned out that the Malaysian no 1 pair managed to go all the way to the final and lose to the evergreen Danes pair of Jens Eriksen/Martin Lundgaard Hansen. Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan had a bad draw too, playing against the improving Anthony Clark/Robert Blair. They should win the match, but, they lost easily in two sets. Nevertheless, they were still young and I am still hopeful of this pair. The women's double pair of Jo Novita/Greysia Polii won their first match against the Danes, but lost expectedly to the world Champion Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen. They should break into the top 10-15 this year. Nova Widianto/Lilyana Natsir is consistent in the sense that they always reached the quarter-final or semi-final. But once they played the top pairs like Nathan Robertson/Gail Emms, Zhang Jun/Gao Ling, Lee Jae Jin/Lee Hyo Jung, and recently the fast-improving Xie Zhongbo/Zhang Yawen, the Indonesians will lose most of the times. The prospect for Thomas Cup is pretty bleak, especially with the emergence of Chen Jin and the improvement in Malaysia's singles and doubles.
From what I saw, it was the other way round I think. I have never really rated Alven/Luluk that highly, apart from their formidable smashes.
Shouldn't the title of your post be "My thoughts about Team Indonesia at the AE2006"? Anyway, thanks for your insight, I wish I could have been there.
concur there Dan, more appropriate.. i also haven't been logging in and following the going ons with IBFs recent tourneys, esp. after watching the All-England, but from what i heard from relatives in Indonesia and how they feel abt. Indonesia's chance in the upcoming TC & UC, yup, i agree also that it looks pretty hopeless..............esp. for the TC team.....unless all the players that are going are able to work their tails off in the next 3+ months...
I absolutely agree. I am an Indonesian and I would love to see them win, but at this moment Indonesia's performance is poor and against top teams like China, Malaysia and Denmark, I'll be surprised if they could win anymore than one match. Maybe Taufik and Candra/Sigit can get their games, but everyone else will never match up to the Malaysian/Denmark MDs or the chinese MSs. Simon Santoso will not do well and neither will Sony Dwi Kuncoro. There is a good chance that if Malaysia meets Indonesia, Malaysia will win pretty easily.
