The Chinese team set high expectations on its Men's single shuttler Lin Dan to win Djarum Indonesia Open 2009 super series after he skipped the previous super series held in Singapore, a Chinese team official said on Wednesday.
"Yes, we expect Lin Dan to seize the championship here," Xia Xuanze, the Chinese team Men's single coach told a press conference after the victory of Lin Dan against his Indonesian contender Andre Kurniawan Tedjono in straight two games 21-13, 22-20 here.
Xia said that Chinese team has its own strategy to face the international badminton championships throughout this year.
In the fifth super series Singapore Open 2009, Chinese maverick men's single shuttler Bao Chunlai seized the championship. He now absent in the sixth super series tournament that provides 250,000 U.S. dollars of rewards.
After receiving 'The Best Player' title in the Sudirman Cup 2009 held in Guangzhou, China May this year, the world's number three shuttler Lin Dan is expected to have fresh power and high spirit to seize the sixth super series championship, Xia added.
The Chinese coach added that Lin Dan is already customized with the atmosphere of badminton match in Indonesia with its "warm-hearted" audience, he said.
"A match with Taufik Hidayat would likely the most anticipated one. Among tough rivals in the tournament, Taufik could still be the toughest for Lin Dan," Xia said.
The 28 years old Taufik Hidayat, gold medalist in Athens 2004 Olympic Games, is now ranked number five in Badminton World Federation (BWF).
Should Lin Dan win the BWF-sanctioned tournament, he will be the first Chinese men's single shuttler to grab victory in international badminton championship held in Indonesia after 20 years.
The last Chinese men's single player won in Indonesia Open tournament was Xiong Guobao in 1989.
(Xinhua News Agency June 18, 2009)
