Fighting Like a Final
Indonesia will face South Korea in the quarter-finals of the Thomas Cup Championship. Players are determined to fight tooth and nail.
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Anthony Sinisuka Ginting returned the shuttlecock to Indian player Prannoy HS during the Thomas Cup preliminary round at Chengdu Hi Tech Zone Sports Centre Gymnasium, Chengdu, China on Wednesday (1/5/2024). Anthony lost with a score of 21-13, 12-21, 12-21.
CHENGDU, THURSDAY — The badminton men's Indonesia team had a good winning record when they met South Korea in the Thomas Cup championship. However, defeats in the last two meetings in other men's team championships should make Indonesia wary when they meet South Korea in the Thomas Cup quarter-finals.
The meeting will take place at the Chengdu Hi Tech Zone Sports Centre Gymnasium in Chengdu, China, on Friday, May 3, 2024, at 4:00 PM (WIB). Meanwhile, the quarterfinals at the same time will see Denmark and Taiwan facing each other.
In the morning session which starts at 08.30 WIB, the women's team will face Thailand in the Uber Cup quarter-finals. The match was held at the same time as the Taiwanese women's team against the defending champion, South Korea.
From the other quarterfinal held on Thursday, the Thomas Cup China team defeated the defending champion, India, with a score of 3-1. In the semifinals, China will compete against Malaysia, who won against Japan 3-1. As for the Uber Cup, China defeated Denmark and Japan won against India, with scores of 3-0 each.
Leo Rolly Carnando/Daniel Marthin defeated the Indian pair, Dhruv Kapila/Sai Pratheek, in the Thomas Cup preliminary round at Chengdu Hi Tech Zone Sports Centre Gymnasium, Chengdu, China, on Wednesday (1/5/2024). Leo/Daniel won with a score of 22-20, 21-11.
Since the Thomas Cup championship was held concurrently with the Uber Cup every two years starting in 1984, the Indonesian men's team has dominated the competition with South Korea. Indonesia only lost once out of 13 meetings.
The only defeat against South Korea occurred in the 2008 semifinals in Jakarta when Taufik Hidayat and his friends lost 0-3. Since then, South Korea has become increasingly tough in providing resistance.
In the 2022 Thomas Cup group stage competition in Bangkok, Thailand, for example, Indonesia won 3-2 after trailing 0-2. Indonesia lost points to Anthony Sinisuka Ginting who lost to Heong Kwang-hee and Mohammad Ahsan/Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo who were defeated by Kang Min-hyuk/Seo Seung-jae. "Red and White" finally got three consecutive wins through Shesar Hiren Rhustavito, Fajar/Muhammad Rian Ardianto, and Syabda Perkasa Belawa.
After that moment, Indonesia and South Korea met twice in the last two years with different results. The Indonesian squad lost 1-3 in the men's team quarterfinals of the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games held in 2023 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, Indonesia was the top seed and immediately advanced to the quarterfinals.
Also read: Contradictions of Results and Performance of the Indonesian Team
Jonatan Christie returned the shuttlecock to Lakhsya Sen in the preliminary round of the Thomas Cup at the Chengdu Hi Tech Zone Sports Centre Gymnasium, Chengdu, China, on Wednesday (May 1, 2024). Jonatan won with a score of 21-18, 16-21, 21-17.
In February 2024 South Korea beat the Indonesian men's team again, this time in the group stage of the team Asian Championship which is the qualifying round for the Thomas and Uber Cup for the Asian zone. South Korea won 3-2.
Indonesia was indeed without main players, namely Anthony, Jonatan Christie, and Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto in the championship in Malaysia. In men's singles, Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo was the backbone of his team, but lost to Lee Yun-gyu, who actually did not have high achievements on the BWF World Tour.
The men's doubles are relying on the duo of Fajar/Rian, namely Muhammad Shohibul Fikri/Bagas Maulana and Leo Rolly Carnando/Daniel Marthin. They have experience and have won tournaments in the BWF World Tour at the level of Super 500 and above, but lost in a close match against South Korean players.
The two defeats became the subject of evaluation for the Indonesian coaching and management team in facing South Korea in Chengdu. According to Jonatan, all team members gathered to discuss the challenges ahead.
Also read: Performance Against Japan Becomes Positive Capital for the Indonesian Uber Team to Face Thailand
Muhammad Shohibul Fikri/Bagas Maulana returned the shuttlecock to India's doubles team, Chirag Shetty/Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, in the elimination round of the Thomas Cup at the Chengdu Hi Tech Zone Sports Centre Gymnasium, Chengdu, China on Wednesday (1/5/2024). Bagas/Fikri won with a score of 24-22, 22-24, 21-19.
"The bad experience of facing South Korea in recent tournaments, especially the Asian Games, has motivated us to perform better. Tomorrow, we will approach the match as if it were a final, fighting to the fullest and giving our all," said Jonatan. The Asian and All England champion also stated that each player must show a high fighting spirit as it will impact the other players.
Indonesian Team Manager Ricky Soebagdja also emphasized enthusiasm. He asked all team members to increase their enthusiasm and cooperation.
"The fighting spirit of the Korean team is very good. That is what needs to be guarded against. Players must not be careless, must not give opportunities for opponents to develop. When entering the field, they must be ready," said the former men's doubles player.
Based on the calculation of the strength of both teams, Ricky hopes that Indonesia can win the match, at least two singles and one doubles. This scenario is most likely possible because South Korea is not really strong in the singles event.
Also read: Tests for Determining Thomas and Uber Cup Group Champions
Indeed, the South Korean team is strong in the doubles sector. Indonesian men's doubles must also be ready.
Indonesian men's singles badminton player Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo attempts to return the shuttlecock towards his opponent, Thai men's singles badminton player Nachakorn Pusri, in the qualifying round of the 2024 Thomas Cup group in the Chengdu Hi Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium, Chengdu, China, on Monday (29/4/2024).
Jeon Hyeok-jin, the world's 47th-ranked men's singles player, had his best result in the semifinals of the 2022 German Open Super 300. He also won the BWF World Tour title at the 2022 Korea Masters Super 300. Anthony also has a great chance of winning the first match, as does Jonatan in the second singles match.
If the target of winning the first and second singles is achieved, the doubles squad is expected to add a victory even though the challenge is tougher. Fajar/Rian are behind by 3-5 in their meetings with Kang/Seo.
The second doubles pair, Fikri/Bagas or Leo/Daniel, could meet Kim Won-ho/Ki Dong-ju who played in two matches, including when South Korea lost 2-3 to China in the Group A championship on Tuesday. Kim/Ki are a new combination as Kim usually played with Jeong Na-eun who did not make the South Korean Thomas Cup team.
“Indeed, the South Korean team is strong in the doubles sector. "Indonesian men's doubles must also be ready, at a minimum, to win one match, you can't lose both," said men's doubles coach at the badminton national training team Aryono Miranat.
Also read: Small Mistakes Stop Gregoria
Gregoria Mariska Tunjung returned the shuttlecock to Japanese player Akane Yamaguchi during the Uber Cup preliminaries at Chengdu Hi Tech Zone Sports Centre Gymnasium, Chengdu, China, on Wednesday (1/5/2024). Gregoria won with a score of 17-21, 21-17, 21-13.
Women's team hopes
The maximum resistance given in the match against Japan, despite ultimately losing 2-3 in the fight for the Group C title, has become the provision for the Indonesian women's team to face Thailand. Two victories in the match against Japan were achieved by Gregoria Mariska Tunjung and Komang Ayu Cahya Dewi.
Two other representatives, Ester Nurumi Tri Wardoyo and Lanny Tria Mayasari/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti, could force the Japanese players to play three games. Only the 19-year-old pair, Rachel Alessya Rose/Meilysa Trias Puspitasari, lost two games because they could not hold back their nerves after Indonesia fell behind 1-2.
Thailand has been one of the strong teams in the Uber Cup championship since they have always made it to the final rounds since 2012. When the championship was held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2018, the home team achieved their best result by making it to the final before being defeated by China 0-3.
They also outperformed Indonesia which has always stopped at the quarterfinals in the last six championships. Thailand defeated Indonesia in the quarterfinals of the 2020 and 2018 Uber Cup, as well as the group stage in 2016, each with a score of 2-3. Gregoria, in fact, has never won in eight meetings with Ratchanok Intanon.
Also read: There are still weaknesses in the Indonesian team
Lanny Tria Mayasari/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti returned the shuttlecock to Japanese women's doubles Nami Matsuyama/Chiharu Shida, in the elimination round of the Uber Cup at Chengdu Hi Tech Zone Sports Centre Gymnasium, Chengdu, China, on Wednesday (1/5/2024).
However, since their last encounter at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Gregoria's ability has developed quite well. Her game and self-confidence can be a weapon for her to achieve her first victory over Intanon, as well as Indonesia's opening victory.
Aside from Gregoria, the badminton singles sector will likely rely on Ester and Komang once again. As for women's doubles, various formations can be chosen.
Apriyani Rahayu/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti, who have not yet been paired up, could be one of the options to appear as the first doubles pair. This can be done so that Indonesia can field Lanny Tria Mayasari/Ribka Sugiarto as the second pair.
"Indonesia has always been defeated by Thailand in the Uber Cup. However, seeing the outstanding performance against Japan, I believe there is still a chance to reach the semi-finals. I hope everyone can bring out their best abilities and play without any burden," said Ricky.
Ester Nurumi Tri Wardoyo returned the shuttlecock to Japanese player Aya Ohori during the preliminary round of the Uber Cup at Chengdu Hi Tech Zone Sports Centre Gymnasium in Chengdu, China on Wednesday (May 1, 2024). Ester lost with a score of 21-14, 20-22, 18-21.
Statistics of the meeting between Indonesia and South Korea men's players
Anthony Sinisuka Ginting – Jeon Hyeok-jin 1-1
Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto – Kang Min-hyuk/Seo Seung-jae 3-5
Jonathan Christie – Cho Geon-yeop 0-0
Muhammad Shohibul Fikri/Bagas Maulana – Kim Won-ho/Ki Dong-ju 0-0
Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo – Lee Yun-gyu 2-1
Statistics on the meeting between Indonesian and Thai female players
Gregoria Mariska Tunjung – Ratchanok Intanon 0-8
Apriyani Rahayu/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti – Jongkolphan Kithitarakul/Rawinda Prajongjai 2-1
Ester Nurumi Tri Wardoyo - Supanida Katethong 0-1
Lanny Tria Mayasari/Ribka Sugiarto – Nuntakarn Aimsaard/Phataimas Munweong 0-0 Komang Ayu Cahya Dewi – Pornpawee Chochuwong 0-0
