ODENSE: Shuttler Putri Kusuma (pic) wants to bring back the glory days of Indonesia in the women’s singles.
And the 22-year-old Putri surely has the talent, character and ability to do it.
The soft-spoken shuttler, who turns into a warrior on court, gave a good fight to second seed Wang Zhiyi of China before going down 20-22, 14-21 in the semi-finals of the Denmark Open at Jyske Bank Arena in Odense yesterday.
She had upstaged sixth seed Aya Ohori of Japan in the first round.
It was her first semi-final appearance in the World Tour 750.
The world No. 26, who is the second ranked shuttler behind national No. 1 and world No. 8 Gregoria Mariska, is determined to be a top player.
“I want to be like the former greats Susi (Susanti), Mia (Audina) and the others but I know I have to work hard to be like them,” said Putri.
She joined the Indonesian team as a junior in 2018 and has been creating some ripples in the senior scene over the last two years. This year, she made heads turn by upsetting a few big names en route to reaching the finals of Taiwan Open and Hong Kong Open.
Putri, however, was at a crossroads at one point during her junior days as her father wanted her to choose between studies and sport.
“My parents are very supportive. My dad wants me to excel but he felt that it was better if I focused in one and I chose badminton.
“I have no regrets. I want to represent Indonesia at the 2028 Olympic Games (Los Angeles).”
With Putri making her strides and adding depth to the team, Indonesia are set to dominate again at next year’s Thailand SEA Games.
Meanwhile, Gregoria’s run in the Denmark Open ended in a painful way after she withdrew due to injury, while trailing 20-22, 12-12 against An Se-young of South Korea in the semi-finals.
SEMI-FINALS
Women’s singles: Wang Zhiyi (Chn) bt Putri Kusuma (Ina) 22-20, 21-14; An Se-young (Kor) bt Gregoria Mariska (Ina) 22-20, 12-12 (rtd).
Women’s doubles: Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi (Jpn) bt Baek Ha-na-Lee So-hee (Kor) 17-21, 24-22, 21-17.
Mixed doubles: Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping (Chn) bt Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (Tpe) 21-23, 21-19, 21-19; Jiang Zhenbang-Wei Ya Xin (Chn) bt Kim Won-ho-Jeong Na-eun (Kor) 21-17, 21-9.
QUARTER-FINALS
Men’s singles: Alex Lanier (Fra) bt Loh Kean Yew (Sin) 21-18, 15-21, 24-22; Kenta Nishimoto (Jpn) bt Weng Hong Yang (Chn) 21-17, 15-21, 21-18; Koki Watanabe (Jpn) bt Lu Guangzu (Chn) 21-15, rtd; Anders Antonsen (Den) bt Li Shifeng (Chn) 12-21, 21-8, 22-20.
Men’s doubles: Chen Boyang-Liu Y (Chn) bt Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (Mas) 22-20, 21-15; Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (Den) bt Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (Jpn) 13-21, 21-14, 21-18; Fajar Alfian-Muhamamd Rian (Ina) bt Ben Lane-Sean Vendy (Den) 21-15, 21-19.
Women’s singles: Putri Kusuma (Ina) bt Yeo Jia Min (Sin) 20-22, 21-11, 21-18.
Women’s doubles: Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi (Jpn) bt Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (Mas) 22-20, 21-19; Baek Ha-na-Lee So-hee (Kor) bt Jeong Na-eun-Kim Hye-jeong (Kor) 21-17, 21-9; Liu Shengshu-Tan Ning (Chn) bt Jia Yifan-Li Wenmei (Chn) 21-9, 22-20; Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida (Jpn) bt Li Yijing-Luo Xumin (Chn) 21-17, 22-20.
Mixed doubles: Jiang Zhengbang-Wei Yaxin (Chn) bt Rinov Rivaldy-Pitha Haningtyas (Ina) 21-11, 17-21, 21-19; Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) bt Jesper Toft-Amalie Magelund (Den) 21-18, 21-13.
