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Injuries are making it difficult for Indonesia to prepare for the upcoming Thomas Cup and Uber Cup world team championships with at least four shuttlers forced to the sidelines.

The rash of injuries forced the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) to call off Friday’s intersquad scrimmage.

“We canceled the simulated games because it’s more important for the players to recover from their injuries,” PBSI secretary general Yacob Rusdianto said.

The fitness concerns added to a miserable weekend for Indonesian badminton, which was shut out again in a Super Series event.

No Indonesians won titles at the Malaysia Open over the weekend. The best showing was from mixed doubles No. 4 seeds Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir, who reached Saturday’s semifinals before falling 21-17, 21-14 to second-seeded Xu Chen and Ma Jin of China.

Men’s shuttlers Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka and Mohammad Ahsan suffered injuries while competing in Malaysia. Hayom withdrew from his second-round match against No. 5 Chen Jin of China, while Ahsan was hurt during he and partner Bona Septano’s 15-21, 21-11, 21-16 loss to eventual men’s doubles champions Fang Chieh-min and Lee Sheng-mu of Taiwan.

“[Ahsan] couldn’t play well because he injured his right arm and leg,” Bona said.

On the women’s side, doubles shuttlers Greysia Polii and Nitya Krishinda Maheswari have yet to fully recover from shoulder and hip injuries that slowed them in the Korea and Malaysia Opens.

Qualifying for the men’s Thomas Cup and women’s Uber Cup is Feb. 13 to 19 in Macau. Wuhan, China, will host the finals from May 20 to 27.

In Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, men’s singles world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei equaled a badminton legend’s record of eight Malaysia Open titles, trouncing his opponent in the final and setting his sights set on Olympic gold.

The Malaysian matched compatriot Wong Peng Soon’s record of eight men’s singles titles with a comprehensive 21-6, 21-13 victory over Japan’s Kenichi Tago.

“It feels great to have equaled a legend’s record, and now I have set my sights on winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal,” said Lee, who was a runner-up in Beijing four years ago.

“I will now cut down my commitments and focus on the Olympics. I will play in the Thomas Cup and the All England as they are the very important tournaments to me and the country.”

China won two titles, with women’s singles No. 1 Wang Yihan beating second-seeded Wang Xin 21-19, 21-11 and Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei beating Xu and Ma 21-12, 21-9 in mixed doubles.

Seventh-seeded Danes Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter-Juhl stunned No. 2 seeds Ha Jung-eun and Kim Min-jung of South Korea 21-19, 21-18 to win the women’s doubles title. Fan and Lee beat South Korea’s Cho Gun-woo and Shin Baek-choel 16-21, 21-16, 21-16 in men’s doubles.

JG, AFP