INDONESIA KEEPS THOMAS CUP

HONG KONG, May 26, 1996 (D.SHUTTLENWS) - Indonesia today successfully
defended it's world men's team championship of badminton by beating
European champion Denmark 5 matches to none in the Thomas Cup finals.

Joko Suprianto started the scoring for Indonesia when he beat
Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen in the first singles.

Suprianto fell behind early in the first game 5-10 as the
smooth-playing dane set Suprianto up for scoring smashes and drops
with very tight net play and fast shots to Suprianto's rear forehand
court.

Suprianto came back as Hoyer seemed to tire and the Indonesian began
to anticipate the Dane's tactics.

Suprianto pulled even at 13-all and then won 18-14 on Hoyer's mistakes.

In the second game, Suprianto again fell behind early 4-1, but
equalized and then past Hoyer on several Danish errors as Hoyer tired
and lost his usually pin point control.  Suprianto won the second 15-8
to the glee of the Indonesian supporters.

In the following match, Indonesians space Ricky Subagja and Rexy
Mainaky proved too quick and cohesive for the make shift pair of Jon
Holst-Christensen and Jim Laugessen.  Despite improved and gritty play
from Laugessen and Holst, Subagya and Mainaky beat them 15-5 15-7.

In the third match, Heryanto Arbi played Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen of
Denmark.  Stuer, who was severely injured a year ago and who has not
yet regained his top form, could not react quickly enough to counter
Arbi's smashes and drops.  Arbi won 15-8 15-8 to clinch the Thomas Cup
for Indonesia.

For the second night in a row, the Indonesian side jumped up with joy
and celebrated a hero, this time with tosses in the air and a ride
around the court on his teammates' shoulders.

The Thomas Cup win together with last night's Uber Cup victory puts
Indonesia back on top of the badminton world.

In the "dead" rubbers that followed, Indonesians Rudi Gunawan and
Bambang Suprinto put on a display of the doubles smashing game as the
Danes, Michael Sogaard and Henrik Svarrer countered with spectacular and
almost miraculous defending.

The Indonesians took the first game 15-7 and the gritty Danes fought
back to take the second 18-14.  The third was a knit-and-tuck affair
until several Sogaard errors gave the Indonesians the win at 15-9.

Allan Dudi Kusuma beat the Dane, Peter Rasmussen, 15-9 15-6 to complete
the tie, as the jubilant Indonesian supporters and the sporting Danish
players cheered and did Indonesian street dances to the rythm of a drum.


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