CHINESE LADIES BLANK INDONESIA WHILE SUSANTI RESTS May 18, 1996 (D.Shuttlenws) - The Chinese women's badminton team today defeated defending champions Indonesia 5-0 in an early showdown in the round-robin stage of the world women's team championships (Uber Cup) being contested in Hong Kong. The Indonesian women were missing the services of their top singles player, Susi Susanti, who was held out on purpose by the Indonesian team managers. According to Ewan Setiawan of the Indonesian team, a decision was made to rest Susi and keep her fresh for the semifinals rather than have her play a tough match against Ye Zhaoying, the world number one in women's singles. Susanti's absence meant that the Indonesian women singles players had to play one slot higher: Mia Audina, Indonesia's number 2, against Ye, China's number one, Lidya Djaelawidjaya, Indonesia's number 3, against Han Jingna, China's number 2, and Meiluawati, a backup, against Wang Chen, China's number 3. Ye trounced Audina 11-4 11-4 to start China's whitewash of the Indonesian women. Ge Fei and Gu Jun followed Ye's victory with a win over Eliza and Rosiana Zelin 10-15 15-9 15-5. Han Jingna made the score 3-0 when she came back after losing the first game to a determined Djaelawidjaya 10-12 and won the second and third games 11-3 11-8. Qin Yiyuan and Tang Yongshu then defeated Lili Tampi and Finarsih 15-3 15-8. Wang Chen finished the Indonesian women off with an 11-2 11-2 defeat of Meiluawati. China's win puts them in an excellent position to play in the semifinals against the runner-up of the other round-robin group consisting of Korea, Denmark, England and Hong Kong. In the other afternoon tie, Denmark defeated an undermanned but lion- hearted English women's team 4-1. Camilla Martin of Denmark bested Julia Mann 11-4 6-11 11-3. Helene Kirkegaard and Rikke Olsen defeated the English pair of Jo Muggeridge and Gillian Gowers 17-14 9-15 15-5. Anne Sondergaard of Denmark lost to Allison Humby 12-9 5-11 4-11. Lotte Olsen and Ann Jorgensen beat the English duo of Emma Chaffin and Sarah Hardaker 15-12 15-7. Mette Pedersen of Denmark defeated Tanya Groves 11-8 11-4. In the evening ties, the Japanese ladies whitewashed Russia and the Korean women's team blanked host Hong Kong. In the Japan-Russia tie, Hizako Mizui beat Elena Rybkhina 11-3 11-2, Yasuko Mizui defeated Marina Yakusheva 11-4 11-6, Aiko and Akiko Miyamura beat Nadezda Chervakova and Ella Karachkova 15-4 15-2, Takako Ida defeated Elena Suchareva 11-4 11-5, and Tomomi Matsuo and Masako Sakamoto beat Rybkhina and Yakusheva 15-1 15-8. In the Korea-Hong Kong encounter, Bang Soo Hyun beat Ng Ching 11-3 11-0, Kim Shin Young and Park Soo Hyun defeated Chan Mei Mei and Chan Oi Ni 15-0 15-5, Ra Kyung Min beat Koon Wai Chee 11-1 11-0, Gil Young Ah and Jang Hye Ock defeated Ng Ching and Tung Chau Man 15-2 15-1, and Lee Joo Hyun beat Chan Mei Mei 11-3 11-8. The Uber Cup standings after the second day of play are: Ties Played Won Lost Points Group A China 2 2 2 4 Indonesia 2 1 1 2 Japan 2 1 1 2 Russia 2 0 2 0 Group B Korea 2 2 2 4 Denmark 2 1 1 2 England 2 1 1 2 Hong Kong 2 0 2 0 COPYRIGHT (c) 1996 by D.Shuttlenws@genie.com. PERMISSION GIVEN to redistribute electronically in whole or in part.