ASIA CUP: INDONESIA TAKES TITLE AND US$80,000
by Mike Grossman

** This NEW SHUTTLENWS report is sponsored by YANG YANG BADMINTON EQUIPMENT and their Finland agents, RACKETSERVICE K.Y. (Tel. 9-6801690). **

February 23, 1997 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - The Indonesian team, made up of two second-string singles players and the world's top-ranked men's doubles pair, today defeated a team from Malaysia to take the Asia Cup badminton men's team title and the first place purse of US$80,000.

The Indonesian team composed of up-and-coming men's singles players Indra Wijaya and Budi Santoso plus world men's doubles number ones Sigit Budiarto and Chandra Wijaya blanked the Malaysians who fielded world men's singles number five Ong Ewe Hock and several second stringers.

Most of the top Indonesian and Malaysian players had chosen not to take part in the Asia Cup and concentrated instead on preparations for the prestigious All-England Open slated for mid-March.

In the key opening singles match, Indra Wijaya started poorly and fell behind Ong 0-4 in the first game as the Malaysian's deceptive touch shots confused him. Wijaya then settled down and began to climb back into the game. With strong attacking play. he finally managed to get ahead of Ong 13-12.

Ong then tallied a point to force a setting at 13-all. In the tiebreak, Wijaya changed the focus of his smash attacks. He concentrated on Ong's forehand and succeeded in breaking through for 5 points to win the first game 18-13.

In the second game, Ong dominated Wijaya who seemed to have lost the length on his clears and the sting on his smashes. Ong easily took the second 15-4.

In the early part of the deciding third game, Ong and Wijaya played evenly, exchanging services and points. Wijaya began to take control of the game as Ong seemed to tire and began to make errors. At the change of ends, Wijaya was ahead 8-6.

Wijaya never relinquished control after the change of ends as Ong did not seem to have the stamina to cope with Wijaya's play. Wijaya took the decider 15-11.

In the men's doubles, the Malaysians benched Tan Kim Her and Lee Wan Wah who had been upset in yesterday's semifinal encounter by the world junior championships silver medalists from Taiwan. Instead, Lee Chee Leong and Wong Choon Han took the court against world number ones Sigit Budiarto and Chandra Wijaya.

The Indonesian duo easily beat Lee and Wong in the first game 15-7. In the second, the Malaysians put up a stiffer fight but the world number ones prevailed 15-12 to clinch the Asia Cup for Indonesia.

In the meaningless second singles, Budi Santoso demolished an absent-minded Pang Chen 15-2 and 15-2.

The losing semifinalists, Taiwan and Korea, also played earlier today to decide third and fourth place.

Taiwan led by 1996 Grand Prix Finals champion Fung Permadi squeezed past Korea 2 matches to 1 to take the third place purse.

Permadi defeated Park Sung Woo 15-5 and 15-8 in the opening men's singles. Korea's Lee Dong Soo and Yoo Yung Sung tied up the playoff encounter with their 15-13 and 15-7 win over the youngsters Huang Shih Chung and Chien Yu Hsun.

Chang Jeng Shyuang then beat the Korean rookie Kim Chul Jung 15-9 and 15-4 to clinch third place for Taiwan.