Indonesia, Thailand dan All-Star Asia dalam Semifinal - Axiata Cup 2014

(Jakarta) - Malaysia packed enough firepower to sent Philippines crashing to a 4-0 defeat in the Axiata Cup at the Britama Arena Sports Mall in Kelapa Gading, Jakarta today to improve their chances of advancing to the semi-finals stage.

The Malaysians now need to clear one more hurdle – against Singapore on Wednesday to be assured of moving on into the semi-finals from Dec 6-7 in Kuala Lumpur.

Indonesia moved up to 21 points to lead the standings for now following tonight’s 3-1 win over All-Star Europe which is indeed good news for the Malaysians. The only glitch in the Indonesian victory was the retirement of Lindaweni Fanetri in her women’s singles match againstScotland’s Kirsty Gilmour.

Competing for the first time in the tournament after returning from the Macau Open recently, Lindaweni won the first game 21-18. In the second she led 15-13 but complained of cramps in her left leg and eventually lost 18-21 to Kirtsty but retired after that to seek medical treatment.

Thailand and All-Star Asia have also qualified for the semi-finals, joining Indonesia. The Thais defeated Vietnam 3-1 to gain 18 points to stay in second spot and play the host nation on Wednesday in the last of preliminary round matches while All-Star Asia thrashed Singapore 4-0 to move to third in the standings with 16 points.

Defending champions Malaysia have 15 points and stay in fourth spot.

As for the Europeans, their hopes of making the last four would virtually evaporate and at best will finish in fifth spot even if they outclass Vietnam by 4-0 tomorrow as they would have only have accumulated 16 points, unless the Malaysians go down all the way against the Singaporeans.

The top four teams with the most accumulated number of games won after the league round qualify for the semi-finals at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium.

“We are glad that Indonesia defeated the Europeans tonight. That puts us in a far better position to make it to the semi-finals,” said team manager-cum-coach Pang Cheh Chang today.

“We will have to work harder and get past Singapore without dropping any games. I am confident we will qualify for thesemi-finals,” he added.

In men’s singles today, Chong Wei Feng took 29 minutes to end Jason Oba-On’s ambitious hopes with a 21-12, 21-14 win, and Tee Jing Yi stormed to a 21-12, 21-12 victory over the inexperienced Airah Mae Nicole Aldo in women singles to give Malaysia a 2-0 lead.

However, the men’s doubles pair of Tan Boon Heong-Tan Wee Kiong went through a harrowing experience against Philip Joper Escueta-Ronel Estanislao before prevailing 24-22 and 21-11.

There was nothing the Filipinos could do to stop Malaysia’s march as their mixed doubles combination of Paul Jefferson Vivas-Eleanor Christine Inlayo crashed out 16-21, 17-21 to Chan Peng Soon-Lai Pei Jing.

Except for Tommy Sugiarto who was rested, the Indonesians paraded a stellar line-up by including all their top players against the Europeans - Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka in men’s singles, Lindaweni Fanetri for women’s singles, Hendra Setiawan-Muhammad Ahsan, ranked world No 2 in men’s doubles and the mixed double pair of Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir, ranked world No 4.

Rumbaka was in his element against Brice Leverdez, winning 21-12 the first game but was stretched to the limits by the Frenchman before prevailing 24-22 in the second game. Kirsty, however, level the score 1-1 following Lindaweni’s retirement in women’s singles.

Hendra-Muhammad Ahsan, however, made it 2-1 for Indonesia, defeating European champions Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov 20-22, 21-19, 21-14 while the mixed doubles pair of Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir sealed it with a 21-18, 21-19 win of Scottish pair Robert Blair-Imogen Bankier.

Singapore also introduced last week’s Macau Open champions Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Chayut Triyacart but suffered a 4-0 defeat against All-Star Asia.

There were changes in the order of play in the Thailand-Vietnam tie. The men’s doubles match was played first instead of men’s singles as Maneepong Jongjit was also to feature in mixed doubles later on alongside Sapsiree Taerattanachai.

Maneepong and Nipitphon Puangpuapech had it easy against Bao Minh-Huynh Nguyen Khang and won 21-17, 21-13 but Boonsak Ponsana was a letdown in men’s singles as far as the Thais were concerned. He lost 18-21, 13-21 to Nguyen Tien Minh which provided the Vietnamese an opportunity to level score at 1-1.

But Porntip Buranaprasertsuk, featuring in women’s singles in place of 2013 World champion Ratchanok Intanon, and Maneepong-Sapsiree made amends for that setback.

Porntip enjoyed good fortunes against Dinh Thi Phuong Hong to win 21-13, 21-8 while Maneepong-Sapsiree disposed Duong Bao Duc-Dang Kim Ngan in a three-game battle to win 14-21, 21-11, 21-17 in just 30 minutes.

Indonesia’s Lindaweni Fanetri in action against All-Star Europes Kirsty Gilmour.

All-Star Europe’s Brice Leverdez against Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka of Indonesia

All-Star Asia’s Manu Attri (front) and Sumeeth Reddy in action against Singapore’s Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Chayut Triyacart

RESULTS – Malaysia 4 Philippines 0:

Men’s Singles: Chong Wei Feng bt Jason Oba-On 21-12, 21-14.

Women’s Singles: Tee Jing Yi bt Airah Mae Nicole Aldo 21-12, 21-12.

Men’s Doubles: Tan Boon Heong-Tan Wee Kiong bt Philip Joper Escueta-Ronel Estanislao 24-22, 21-11.

Mixed Doubles: Chan Peng Soon-Lai Pei Jing v Paul Jefferson Vivas-Eleanor Christine Inlayo 21-16, 21-17.

Indonesia 3 All-Star Europe 1:

Men’s Singles: Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka bt Brice Leverdez (Fra) 21-12, 24-22.

Women’s Singles: Lindaweni Fanetri lost to Kirsty Gilmour (Scot) 21-18, 18-21 (rtd).

Men’s Doubles: Hendra Setiawan-Muhammad Ahsan bt Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov (Rus) 20-22, 21-19, 21-14.

Mixed Doubles: Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir v Robert Blair-Imogen Bankier (Scot) 21-18, 21-19.

All-Star Asia 4 Singapore 0:

Mixed Doubles: Lee Chun Hei-Chau Hoi Wah (HK) bt Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Vanessa Neo Yu Yan 21-17, 21-18.

Men’s Singles: Hu Yun (HK) bt Loh Kean Yew 21-18, 17-21, 21-11.

Women’s Singles: Yip Pui Yin (HK) bt Liang Xiaoyu 21-19, 21-14.

Men’s Doubles: Manu Attri-Sumeeth Reddy (Ind) bt Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Chayut Triyacart 21-17, 20-22, 21-12.

Thailand 3 Vietnam 1

Men’s Doubles: Maneepong Jongjit-Nipitphon Puangpuapech bt Bao Minh-Huynh Nguyen Khang 21-17, 21-13.

Men’s Singles: Boonsak Ponsana lost to Nguyen Tien Minh 18-21, 13-21.

Women’s Singles: Porntip Buranaprasertsuk bt Dinh Thi Phuong Hong 21-13, 21-8.

Mixed Doubles: Maneepong Jongjit-Sapsiree Taerattanachai bt Duong Bao Duc-Dang Kim Ngan 14-21, 21-11, 21-17.

Wednesday Schedule (3 December, 2014):
Indonesia v Thailand; All-Star Asia v Philippines (both matches start at 12 noon); Malaysia v Singapore; All-Star Europe v Vietnam (Both matches start at 6.0pm).

ABOUT AXIATA

Axiata is one of the largest Asian telecommunications companies. Axiata has controlling interests in mobile operators in Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and
Cambodia with significant strategic stakes in India and Singapore. In addition, the Malaysian grown holding company has a stake in non-mobile telecommunication operations in Pakistan.

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‘Smart’ in Cambodia, ‘Idea’ in India and ‘M1’ in Singapore.

The Group, including its subsidiaries and associates, has over 250 million mobile subscribers in Asia. The Group revenue for 2013 was USD5.8 billion. The Group
provides employment to over 20,000 people across Asia. Axiata’s vision is to be a regional champion by 2015 by piecing together the best throughout the region
in connectivity, technology and talent, uniting them towards a single goal: Advancing Asia.

Axiata was awarded the Frost & Sullivan 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Asia Pacific ICT Award for Best Telecom Group and the Telecom Asia Best Regional
Mobile Group 2010 and 2011 for its operations in multiple Asian markets.