Jakarta: A total of 32 players, including former men’s doubles world champions Hendra Setiawan/Mohammad Ahsan, and former Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) player Tommy Sugiarto and Sony Dwi Kuncoro have been named to the preliminary roster for the 2018 Indonesia Thomas & Uber Cup teams. In addition to those old faces, young Indonesian women’s singles and doubles players such as Ruselli Hartawan and Yulfia Barkah also made the list.
The announcement was made last Friday by PBSI’s head of Development and Achievement, Susi Susanti.
The Indonesian Thomas Cup team has been drawn in Group B along with Korea, Canada and Thailand. While the Uber team was placed in group D which is considered as “Group of Death” together with China, France and Malaysia.
The Indonesian badminton legend Susanti said that PBSI allowed the best players in the country to join the both the Thomas and Uber Cup team. Therefore, PBSI would like the best shuttlers to be given the opportunities to prove themselves and to contribute to Indonesia.
“We open up the opportunity for all athletes to be have a chance to be part of the Thomas and Uber Cup teams, which is important for Indonesia,” said Susanti.
Of the 32 players named, only 20 players will be selected to fill 10 slots for Thomas Cup and 10 slots for the Uber Cup team. Each team will consist of 4 singles players and 6 doubles players (3 pairs).
Here is the initial roster list for the Indonesian Thomas and Uber Cup teams:
Thomas Cup (men’s singles):
Anthony Sinisuka Ginting
Jonatan Christie
Tommy Sugiarto
Ihsan Maulana Mustofa
Firman Abdul Kholik
Sony Dwi Kuncoro
Thomas Cup (men’s doubles):
Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo
Marcus Fernaldi Gideon
Fajar Alfian
Muhammad Rian Ardianto
Berry Anggriawan
Hardianto
Wahyu Nayaka Arya Pankaryanira
Ade Yusuf Santoso
Hendra setiawan
Mohammad Ahsan
Angga Pratama
Rian Agung Saputro
Uber Cup (women’s singles):
Fitriani
Hanna Ramadini
Gregoria Mariska Tunjung
Dinar Dyah Ayustine
Ruselli Hartawan
Uber Cup (women’s doubles):
Greysia Polii
Apriyani Rahayu
Ni Ketut Mahadewi Istarani
Anggia Shitta Awanda
Della Destiara Haris
Rizki Amelia Pradipta
Nitya Krishinda Maheswari
Yulfira Barkah
Rosyita Eka Putri Sari
Susi Susanti also revealed that all these players will undergo a team building training camp this week in the hopes of putting everyone on the same page, strenthening the team chemistry before they depart for the Thomas and Uber Cup tournament in mid-May.
