Indonesia's Sudirman Cup campaign looks shaky
KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesia's Sudirman Cup campaign was dealt a big blow after men's doubles player Leo Rolly Carnando and women's singles Gregoria Mariska Tunjung dropped out due to injury and illness respectively.
Leo Rolly, who finished runners-up at the recent All England with Bagas Maulana, suffered a ligament tear (left knee) during the Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, two weeks ago.
World No. 5 Gregoria, the Paris Olympics bronze medallist, was diagnosed with vertigo, and has been replaced by world No. 34 Esther Nurumi.
Indonesia BA performansi and development head Eng Hian said there will be no replacement for Leo Rolly as they still have the services of world No. 5 Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto and world No. 10 Shohibl Fikri-Daniel Marthin.
Second seeds Indonesia, winners of the inaugural Sudirman Cup in 1989 and last reached the final in 2007, were already affected earlier by the absence of 2020 Tokyo Olympics men's singles bronze medallist Anthony Ginting who was ruled out for three months by a right shoulder injury.
They will be banking on a struggling world No. 6 Jonatan Christie and youngsters Alwi Farhan (No. 33) and Zaki Ubaidillah (No. 77).
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