Kuncoro, Wang Chen make ABC a tournament to remember

Dev S Sukumar

Hyderabad, 12 September 2005: Twenty-nine years after Hyderabad hosted the Asian Badminton Confederation championships, the ABC returned to the city. As in 1976, Indonesia had a representative in the men's singles final: Sony Dwi Kuncoro was to play Malaysian Kuan Beng Hong for the title.

Of course, back in 1976, King was facing a much more formidable opponent. Badminton enthusiasts still remember the day when China's Hou Chia Chang produced a masterful display of control and deception to weave a web around King, who was more than ten years younger than him. The ABC was the highlight of the badminton season of that year in India, and Hou Chia crafted a climactic display that has only rarely been equalled.

Sony Dwi Kuncoro did what King couldn't all those years ago, when he beat Hong for the crown. Later, his team mates Hendra Setiawan and Markis Kido made it a memorable day for their country when they annexed the men's doubles title, with an impeccable display against Lee Jae Jin and Jung Jae Sung of Korea.

Lee Jae Jin had also lost in the mixed doubles final; he and partner Lee Hyo Jung failed narrowly to pull off a dramatic three-game final against Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thounghthongkam. Lee Hyo Jung was more fortunate, as she won the women's doubles title along with Lee Kyung Won.

The women's singles gold went to Wang Chen of Hong Kong, who breezed through her opposition with nonchalant ease.

Boonsak troubles Kuncoro:
Kuncoro's stiffest test actually came in the quarterfinals. Boonsak Ponsana, all wristy deception and fluid feet, won the first game before the Olympic bronze medallist dug in deep and rose to a higher level. The match was a final before the final; Kuncoro's thundering jump smashes and Boonsak's sublime touch at the net producing a fine exhibition of badminton.

Wang Chen, meanwhile, had summarily dismissed all opposition. There was none to challenge her breathtaking crosscourt drops or the half-smashes on both flanks; and it was a matter of regret that the Chinese had decided against participating.

The doubles matches, as always, were stiffly fought. Lee Jae Jin and Jung Jae Sung, the world No.6 pair, were expected to win, but Setiawan and Kido had it surprisingly easy in the final. Perhaps Jae Jin was hampered by his heavily strapped right shoulder and the efforts of the mixed doubles final earlier on Sunday.

Despite the tight contest in the mixed doubles final, Sudket and Saralee were the overwheling favourites. Sudket was awesome, leaping a few feet in the air and nailing smashes with blood-curdling ferocity; Saralee sharp at the net and smashing powerfully when the need arose. The Thais demolished their opponents in the semis and quarters, and it took all the craft and power of Jae Jin and Hyo Jung to hold them up temporarily in the final. The Koreans won a close second game 17-14, and kept apace till 10-12 in the decider. But Sudket and Saralee had too many bullets left in their arsenal, and powered to the gold withouth giving one more point.

Saralee-Sathinee upset:
The big upset in the women's doubles was of Saralee T and Sathinee J in the quarterfinals, to the recent combination of Jo Novita and Greysia Polii of Indonesia. Novita and Polii have partnered in only three tournaments before this, but they played with supreme confidence, attacking and defending with equal felicity. In the semis, however, they ran into Reiko Shiota and Kumako Ogura, who played a smart tactical match -- chalked out perhaps by doubles legend and Japan coach Park Joo Bong -- and they took the sting out of the Indonesians by tossing everything to the baseline and inviting Polii and Novita to keep hitting. But the Indonesians ran out of steam after a while, and the Japanese eased into the final.

However, in the final awaited the crafty Kyung Won and Hyo Jung. Apart from a brief lapse in the second game, the Koreans were well on top, and coach Park Joo Bong must have had mixed feelings as he left the stadium. None of the Japanese could win a title.

Encouraging show from Indian youngsters:
The Indian performance, particularly from the youngsters, gave cause for cheer. Padkukone Academy-trainee Aditi Mutatkar, having just recovered from a right knee injury, had game point against Wang Chen in the pre-quarterfinal, but the world no.4 just about managed to edge past her 13-10.

Junior champion Saina Nehwal, who is reckoned to be the future of women's badminton in India, had match point at 10-7 in the second game of her pre-quarterfinal against Wong Mew Choo before the Malaysian pulled off a dramatic escape. Wong went on to lose in the quarters.

Another Padukone Academy-trainee, Sagar Chopda, took the first game off eventual semifinalist Lee Hyun Il, while Anand Pawar matched experienced Malaysian Roslin Hashim in the first game before his challenge fell tamely in the second.

India has now a new generation of shuttlers to look up to -- Aditi Mutatkar, Saina Nehwal, Sagar Chopda, Anand Pawar, P Kashyap and Jishnu Sanyal are among those who have shown plenty of promise in recent months.

The best performances, however, came from the more experienced Arvind Bhat and Chetan Anand. Arvind was all over Lee Hyun Il in their quarterfinal bout, but the Indian faltered at game point and the Korean eased through in the second game.

Chetan, having demolished Shoji Sato in their pre-quarterfinal bout, bewildered eventual finalist Kuan Beng Hong in the first game with his array of flicks and slow drops. Beng Hong could only watch helplessly as the Indian threatened to take the match away in quick time. But the effort had slowed down the Indian's legs, the stamina was suspect and the feet weary, and inevitably the Malaysian clawed his way back.

The most encouraging sight at the ABC was the presence of the Iranian women. This was their first international tournament outside their country. They played in a specially-designed outfit that covered them head to toe, having received permission from the ABC earlier. They got plenty of attention from the local press. They recorded all the important matches at Hyderabad, and one is sure the videos will be put to good use.

Results:

MS: Sony Dwi Kuncoro (Ina) bt Kuen Beng Hong (Mas) 15-10, 15-5.
WS: Wang Chen (Hkg) bt Kaori Mori (Jpn) 15-1115-7.
WD: Lee Kyung Won/ Lee Hyo Jung (Kor) bt Kumako Ogura/ Reiko Shiota (Jpn) 15-13, 8-15, 15-5.
MD: Markis Kido/ Hendra Setiawan (Ina) bt Lee Jae Jin/ Jung Jae Sung (Kor) 15-11, 15-7.
MXD: Sudket Prapakamol/ Saralee T (Tha) bt Lee Jae Jin/ Lee Hyo Jung (Kor) 15-11, 14-17, 15-10.