Starting with the MD, where Team Indonesia's hope lies. Indonesia is certainly represented by many pairs, this being the home grand prix. However, I will mainly only focus on the Pelatnas pairs, with emphasis on the young pairs. The main core of Pelatnas pairs in order of experience and ranking are the top seeded Luluk Hadiyanto/Alvent Yulianto; Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan (surprisingly not seeded); Hendra A. Gunawan/Joko Riyadi, Yoga Ugikasah/Yonathan Suryatama Dasuki, and Rendra Wijaya/Frans Kurniawan
Despite the absence of top Chinese, Malaysian, and Danish pairs in the draws, there are plenty of mouth-watering clashes, as early as Round 1/32. Some old names such as Tony Gunawan/Candra Wijaya and Bambang Suprianto/Tri Kusharyanto. Some newly formed pair of veterans such as Flandy Limpele/Sigit Budiarto and combi of veteran+young player in Eng Hian/Rian Sukmawan (representing Djarum club). There is also a newly formed Danish pair of Thomas Laybourn/Lars Paaske (due to Carsten Mogensen's injury).
Quarter 1
Luluk Hadiyanto/Alvent Yulianto (1)
Jung Jae Sung/Lee Yong Dae (5/8)
-- Definitely a tough quarter for Luluk/Alvent to be in. They are drawn against Eng Hian/Rian in Round 1/32 and probably Zheng Bo/Gong Weijie in Round 1/16. Both are tricky ties, but, they should be able to win. Jung Jae Sung/Lee Yong Dae should not have a problem in Round 1/32, facing an unknown local pair. The tough match begins in Round 1/16, where they have an interesting match against either Thomas Laybourn/Lars Paaske or Bambang Suprianto/Tri Kusharyanto. I place my bet on the Korean pair to qualify to the quarter-final for an explosive encounter with Luluk/Alvent. Luluk/Alvent have a slight edge.
Quarter 2
Mohd Tazari Mohd Fairuzizuan/Lin Woon Fui (3/4)
Guo Zhendong/Xie Zhongbo (5/8)
-- The young Malaysian pair should not have a problem winning their first 2 matches en-route to the quarter-final. Their opponent will be either Guo/Xie or the defending champion Markis/Hendra. A real test for Markis/Hendra's credential as they are drawn againsts fellow young and upcoming pairs. They have not played Guo/Xie, but have beaten Mohd Tazari/Lin in the past. I put my money on them to qualify for the semi-final. Let's hope they don't disappoint.
Quarter 3
Tony Gunawan/Candra Wijaya (5/8)
Gan Teik Chai/Abdul Latif Mohd Zakry (3/4)
-- Probably the most interesting quarter. Tony/Candra is back and they are immediately seeded 5/8. They are drawn against 2 young Pelatnas pairs Rendra Wijaya/Frans Kurniawan in Round 1/32 and possibly Yoga Ugikasah/Yonathan Suryatama Dasuki in Round 1/16. Yoga/Yonathan first have to first beat a qualifier and a Chinese Taipei pair before they can play against the ex Olympic champion.
Meanwhile, Hendra/Joko possibly have the worst possible sequence of matches. They should win their first match in Round 1/64 (facing a qualifier), but is drawn against either the Thai's no 1 pair Sudket Prapakamol/Phattapol Ngernsrisuk or Hwang Ji Man/Jung Tae Kuk. The Thai pair has just beaten Hendra/Joko in 3 close sets in the final of the Thailand Satellite. The winner of the Round 1/32 match will play against Gan/Abdul Latif in Round 1/16. It should be Tony/Candra vs Gan/Abdul Latif in the quarter-final. Tony/Candra to qualify from this quarter -- they are too strong for any pair.
Quarter 4
Flandy Limpele/Sigit Budiarto (5/8)
Anthony Clark/Robert Blair (2)
-- Relatively straight forward and Flandy/Sigit should have no problem reaching the target of quarter-final, with matches against an Indian pair and the young Chinese pair of Shen Ye/He Hanbin. They will probably play against Clark/Blair in the quarter-final, a match that they could also win. Clark/Blair will probably meet the Jap pair Keita Masuda/Tadashi Ohtsuka in Round 1/16.
So, we could have an all-Indonesia semi-final, but, its not going to be easy for Luluk/Alvent and Markis/Hendra.
Personal hope: Markis/Hendra to retain their title...but chance is again very slim. Hendra/Joko and Yoga/Yonathan to reach at least Round 1/16.
Most likely scenario: Tony Gunawan/Candra Wijaya to be the champion. On paper, they look too strong for any pairs.
Despite the absence of top Chinese, Malaysian, and Danish pairs in the draws, there are plenty of mouth-watering clashes, as early as Round 1/32. Some old names such as Tony Gunawan/Candra Wijaya and Bambang Suprianto/Tri Kusharyanto. Some newly formed pair of veterans such as Flandy Limpele/Sigit Budiarto and combi of veteran+young player in Eng Hian/Rian Sukmawan (representing Djarum club). There is also a newly formed Danish pair of Thomas Laybourn/Lars Paaske (due to Carsten Mogensen's injury).
Quarter 1
Luluk Hadiyanto/Alvent Yulianto (1)
Jung Jae Sung/Lee Yong Dae (5/8)
-- Definitely a tough quarter for Luluk/Alvent to be in. They are drawn against Eng Hian/Rian in Round 1/32 and probably Zheng Bo/Gong Weijie in Round 1/16. Both are tricky ties, but, they should be able to win. Jung Jae Sung/Lee Yong Dae should not have a problem in Round 1/32, facing an unknown local pair. The tough match begins in Round 1/16, where they have an interesting match against either Thomas Laybourn/Lars Paaske or Bambang Suprianto/Tri Kusharyanto. I place my bet on the Korean pair to qualify to the quarter-final for an explosive encounter with Luluk/Alvent. Luluk/Alvent have a slight edge.
Quarter 2
Mohd Tazari Mohd Fairuzizuan/Lin Woon Fui (3/4)
Guo Zhendong/Xie Zhongbo (5/8)
-- The young Malaysian pair should not have a problem winning their first 2 matches en-route to the quarter-final. Their opponent will be either Guo/Xie or the defending champion Markis/Hendra. A real test for Markis/Hendra's credential as they are drawn againsts fellow young and upcoming pairs. They have not played Guo/Xie, but have beaten Mohd Tazari/Lin in the past. I put my money on them to qualify for the semi-final. Let's hope they don't disappoint.
Quarter 3
Tony Gunawan/Candra Wijaya (5/8)
Gan Teik Chai/Abdul Latif Mohd Zakry (3/4)
-- Probably the most interesting quarter. Tony/Candra is back and they are immediately seeded 5/8. They are drawn against 2 young Pelatnas pairs Rendra Wijaya/Frans Kurniawan in Round 1/32 and possibly Yoga Ugikasah/Yonathan Suryatama Dasuki in Round 1/16. Yoga/Yonathan first have to first beat a qualifier and a Chinese Taipei pair before they can play against the ex Olympic champion.
Meanwhile, Hendra/Joko possibly have the worst possible sequence of matches. They should win their first match in Round 1/64 (facing a qualifier), but is drawn against either the Thai's no 1 pair Sudket Prapakamol/Phattapol Ngernsrisuk or Hwang Ji Man/Jung Tae Kuk. The Thai pair has just beaten Hendra/Joko in 3 close sets in the final of the Thailand Satellite. The winner of the Round 1/32 match will play against Gan/Abdul Latif in Round 1/16. It should be Tony/Candra vs Gan/Abdul Latif in the quarter-final. Tony/Candra to qualify from this quarter -- they are too strong for any pair.
Quarter 4
Flandy Limpele/Sigit Budiarto (5/8)
Anthony Clark/Robert Blair (2)
-- Relatively straight forward and Flandy/Sigit should have no problem reaching the target of quarter-final, with matches against an Indian pair and the young Chinese pair of Shen Ye/He Hanbin. They will probably play against Clark/Blair in the quarter-final, a match that they could also win. Clark/Blair will probably meet the Jap pair Keita Masuda/Tadashi Ohtsuka in Round 1/16.
So, we could have an all-Indonesia semi-final, but, its not going to be easy for Luluk/Alvent and Markis/Hendra.
Personal hope: Markis/Hendra to retain their title...but chance is again very slim. Hendra/Joko and Yoga/Yonathan to reach at least Round 1/16.
Most likely scenario: Tony Gunawan/Candra Wijaya to be the champion. On paper, they look too strong for any pairs.
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