Exhausted Taufik gives Korea Open a miss
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
After his disappointing performance at the Copenhagen Masters in December, Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat has begged off playing in the six-star Noonnoppi Korea Open later this month, citing the need to rest.
"Taufik had requested PBSI remove him from the team to compete US$250,000 Korea Open after his poor results in Copenhagen," Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) head of development affairs Icuk Sugiarto said on Monday.
"I talked to his coach today, and we agreed to drop him from the squad."
After winning Olympic gold in Athens last August, Taufik, 23, continued playing at top form, taking the Indonesia Open here for the fifth time in early December.
However, in Copenhagen later the same month, Taufik suffered consecutive defeats to Dane Peter Gade and Wong Choong Hann of Malaysia in his round robin group.
Icuk said Taufik had been under heavy pressure to win in Copenhagen after his Indonesia Open triumph.
"He needs to take a rest for a while," Icuk said.
With Taufik out of the Korea Open, Indonesia has entered 11 shuttlers in the tournament, he said.
They are Simon Santoso in the men's singles; men's double pairs Luluk Hadiyanto/Alven Yulianto, Chandra Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto and Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan; and the mixed double pairs of Nova Widhianto/Lilyana Natsir and Anggun Nugroho/Yunita Tetty.
Icuk said that although the players had been registered to play in the Korea Open, PBSI chairman Sutiyoso would have the final say on whether they would actually compete.
He targeted an Indonesian win in the men's doubles in Incheon City, while one of the mixed doubles pairs could at least reach the final.
Icuk also said Olympic bronze medalist Sony Dwi Kuncoro, who had undergone minor surgery on his injured right instep, might be able to return to competition next month.
"We had planned to send Sony to the All England (March) and Japan Open (April), but perhaps we could seek a tournament in Chinese Taipei next month for him if his condition gets much better this week."
Sony last played at the Indonesia Open, where he was stopped in the quarterfinals by Bao Chunlai of China 5-15, 2-15.
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
After his disappointing performance at the Copenhagen Masters in December, Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat has begged off playing in the six-star Noonnoppi Korea Open later this month, citing the need to rest.
"Taufik had requested PBSI remove him from the team to compete US$250,000 Korea Open after his poor results in Copenhagen," Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) head of development affairs Icuk Sugiarto said on Monday.
"I talked to his coach today, and we agreed to drop him from the squad."
After winning Olympic gold in Athens last August, Taufik, 23, continued playing at top form, taking the Indonesia Open here for the fifth time in early December.
However, in Copenhagen later the same month, Taufik suffered consecutive defeats to Dane Peter Gade and Wong Choong Hann of Malaysia in his round robin group.
Icuk said Taufik had been under heavy pressure to win in Copenhagen after his Indonesia Open triumph.
"He needs to take a rest for a while," Icuk said.
With Taufik out of the Korea Open, Indonesia has entered 11 shuttlers in the tournament, he said.
They are Simon Santoso in the men's singles; men's double pairs Luluk Hadiyanto/Alven Yulianto, Chandra Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto and Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan; and the mixed double pairs of Nova Widhianto/Lilyana Natsir and Anggun Nugroho/Yunita Tetty.
Icuk said that although the players had been registered to play in the Korea Open, PBSI chairman Sutiyoso would have the final say on whether they would actually compete.
He targeted an Indonesian win in the men's doubles in Incheon City, while one of the mixed doubles pairs could at least reach the final.
Icuk also said Olympic bronze medalist Sony Dwi Kuncoro, who had undergone minor surgery on his injured right instep, might be able to return to competition next month.
"We had planned to send Sony to the All England (March) and Japan Open (April), but perhaps we could seek a tournament in Chinese Taipei next month for him if his condition gets much better this week."
Sony last played at the Indonesia Open, where he was stopped in the quarterfinals by Bao Chunlai of China 5-15, 2-15.
