Indonesia deny Japan semis berth

An under-strength Indonesian team denied Japan a place in the semi-finals of the 2011 Double Star BWF Sudirman Cup World Mixed Team Championships when they won the quarter-final tie 3-2  at the Qingdao Sports Centre Conson Stadium on Friday.

Indonesia drew first blood when Alvent Yulianto Chandra-Mohammad Ahsan defeated Noriyasu Hirata-Hirokatsu Hashimoto 21-17, 21-16 but Japan levelled when Eriko Hirose outlasted a determined Adriyanti Firdasari 21-19, 17-21, 21-14.

“The key today was to stay patient. She is a very skilful and strong player and I knew I had to keep the shuttle in play for as long as possible,” said Hirose.

A disappointed Adriyanti said: “I was chasing her in the first game and that is why I lost. I had the lead in the second game and took it but she changed tactics in the rubber. She speeded up play and I couldn’t cope."

Kenichi Tago then took on Simon Santoso, a player he had not beaten in two previous meetings. However, the young Japanese shuttler not only beat the SEA Games champion, but he did it in style, winning 21-15, 21-9. 

“I was fired up to bring a point for my country as we have never reached the semi-finals before. I fought hard to get the point,” said Tago.

Japan next sprung a surprise when they rested their top pair Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna. The duo, who recently won the YONEX SUNRISE India Open Superseries and YONEX SUNRISE Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold, were replaced by Mami Naito-Shizuka Matsuo.

Naito-Matsuo had the opportunities to clinch the tie for Japan but Greysia Polii-Meiliana Jauhari, had that little bit extra to win 21-17, 21-16.

Matsuo said nerves played a big part in the defeat as she knew a victory would have taken Japan to the semi-finals.

“We were in too much of  a hurry to win. We made too many mistakes. We didn’t feel the pressure at first but eventually, it just grew and we couldn’t handle it.”

Naito added: “I’m a bit disappointed as we had a big responsibility to win and get Japan into semi-finals. We were ready for the match but luck was not on our side.” 

In the deciding match, Shintaro Ikeda-Reiko Shiota (picture) and Fran Kurniawan Teng-Pia Zebadiah Bernadet were locked in a titanic battle which lasted 82 minutes before the Indonesians won 21-19, 23-25, 21-14.