PETALING JAYA: Indonesia may have fallen 1-3 to South Korea in the women’s team semi-finals at the Asia Team Championships, but teenager Ni Kadek Dhinda emerged as a bright spark in defeat.
The 19-year-old delivered Indonesia’s only point at the Qingdao Conson Gymnasium in China yesterday, showing composure beyond her years.
South Korea rested world No. 1 An Se-young, giving reserve Park Ga-eun a chance in the second singles – a move that allowed Ni Kadek to shine.
In a clash between the lower-ranked players, Ni Kadek was in command as she swept past Ga-eun 21-12, 21-12, underlining her potential as a future star.
Indonesia had earlier gone 0-2 down after defeats suffered by Thalita Ramadhini and Rachel Allessya–Febi Setianingrum.
South Korea then sealed victory through Lee Seo-jin–Lee Seon-woo, who however were made to work hard by Amalia Cahaya–Siti Fadia before edging through 21-19, 21-19.
South Korea will face favourites China in today’s final.
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
Women: China bt Taiwan 3-0 (Gao Fang Jie bt Chiu Pin-chian 18-21, 21-17, 21-16; Jia Yifan-Zhang Shuxian bt Hsu Ya-chingSung Yu-hsuan 21-11, 21-7; Xu Wenjing bt Lin Hsiang-ti 16-21, 21-10, 21-13); South Korea bt Indonesia 3-1 (Kim Ga-eun bt Thalita Ramadhini 21-5, 21-4; Baek Ha-na-Kim Hye-jeong bt Rachel Allessya-Febi Setianingrum 21-14, 21-10; Park Ga-eun lost to Ni Kadek Dhinda 14-21, 13-21; Lee Seo-jin-Lee Seon-woo bt Amalia Cahaya-Siti Fadia 21-19, 21-19).
