Tears for Über Cup

Press, 22 May 1978, Page 3

Tears for Über Cup

| PA Auckland Tears flowed from Hiroe Yuki as her Japanese teamI mates pushed her forward to 'receive the Über Cup, sym- ' bol of women’s world badminton team supremacy, at Badminton Hall, Auckland lon Saturday. ; Forty-five minutes earlier a shuttle had touched the top of the net and fallen beIfore two despairing In- | donesians who had battled valiantly for four hours and a half to retain the trophy.

The heroine for the win- . ning side was Atsuko Tokuda, who not only won her singles match but was associated with Mikiko Takada |in winning two doubles ■ matches for her side. There was much excitement I when Japan led by only 3-21 but there was never much | doubt that Tokuda and Ta-; kada, the all-England cham-; pions, would beat Imelda ■ Wiguno and Verawaty Wi-; harjo in straight games to; ensure the return of the cup to Japan.

Tukuda’s singles battle against Indonesia’s Tjan So Gwan was a clash between experience and enthusiasm. The Indonesian girl went for her shots too early after dropping the opening game, 5-11, to Tukuda. Tukuda went quickly to 4-0 in the first game, faultered at 4-2, but drew away again. The Indonesian made several errors when she did not play shots at returns that dropped just inside the court.

The Japanese rushed to 8-3 in the second game after both players had been penalised for service faults. Instead of steadying up, the Indonesian went for winners and the confident Tukuda drew away to take the game, 11-4. Indonesia provided a star in Wiharjo, a tall (175 cm girl who surprised the gallery by the ease with which she beat the celebrated Japanese number one player, Hiroe Yuki, in straight ( games.

Wiharjo was also an outstanding player in the doubles tie, which she and Wiguno won against Emiko Ueno and Yoshiko Yonekura.

Results (Japanese names first):—

Singles.—Saori Kondo beat Ivanna Lie Ing Hoa, 11-3, 11-3; Hiroe Yuki lost to Verawaty Wiharjo, 3-11. 6-11; Atsuko Tokuda beat Tjan So Gwan, 11- 11-4. Doubles, — Emiko Ueno and JoslUko Yonekura lost to Imelda Wiguno and Wiharjo, 15-10, 845, 12- Mikiko Takada and Tokuda beat Regina Masli and Therisia Widiastuty, 15-10, 15-8; Tokuda and Takada beat Wiguno and Wiharjo, 15-5. 15-7; Ueno and Yonekura beat Marsh and Widiastuty. 13-11, 15-2.