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Hosts Indonesia cruised past Germany 3-1 to set up their fifth meeting against defending champion China in the 2008 Uber Cup final. The 2 badminton powerhouses have a 2-2 record against each other in the Uber Cup final: China won the tie twice, in 1986 and 1998, while Indonesia beat China to the Cup in 1994 and 1996 with Indonesia’s queen of badminton Susi Susanti (pictured top left) spearheading the attack.

By Jan Lin, reporting live from Senayan Stadium, Jakarta. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Indonesia is by far the only country that has ever stopped China in its quest for Uber glory and has done it not just once but twice. On Thursday, the Indonesian ladies dropped their first singles game to Germany’s Xu Huaiwen but swept the next 3 points in comfortable victories.

Boosted by support from a phenomenal crowd, Adriyanti Firdasari upset world #13 Julianne Schenk in straight games 21-16, 22-20, which then inspired Indonesia’s second doubles pair of Jo Novita/Greysia Polii and third singles Pia Zebadiah to demolish their German counterparts in similar straight-game fashion.

Novita/Polli took 34 minutes to dispose of Birgit Overzier/Kathrin Piotrowski 21-9, 21-13. Indonesia's rising star Pia Zebadiah (pictured right) secured the decider for Indonesia, defeating Karin Schnaase 21-7, 21-16 as the boisterous Indonesian crowd leapt off their seats in euphoria.

Germany’s team manager, Martin Kranitz, was a pleased man despite his team's 1-3 defeat.  Kranitz was extremely gracious at the post-match press conference saying, “Congratulations to Indonesia, they played very well. We expected a tough match and we had hoped to start off positively with a 2-0 lead so we could put the pressure on Indonesia but Adriyanti played so well.”

At that note, second singles player Julianne Schenk gave a comical “oops” expression and stuck out her tongue candidly, as she went on to comment, “It is great for us to reach the semi-finals again. Everyone in the team was looking forward to playing and today, the spectators made it tough but we already knew that. And we also knew that Indonesia is a good team. But everyone in my team tried their best today.”

Xu Huaiwen is the only native Chinese who has been undisturbed by the rowdy jeers of the Indonesian spectators as she clinched the only point for Germany last night in absolute style. Xu’s former Chinese compatriots may need some insight from her when they face the Indonesians in the final tomorrow.

Xu (pictured bottom left) shared her experience of playing Indonesia on their home soil. “It is a great atmosphere and the spectators are very enthusiastic. I’ve never experienced something like this anywhere else in the whole world! I had great fun!”

The German team trains at Saarbrucken, where the BWF world training center is located. The fun-loving Germans are hoping to continue their current international achievements that they only started accumulating in 2005 when Germany won their first ever world championship medal through Xu Huaiwen, who clinched a bronze medal in the women’s singles event.

Indonesia, on the other hand, is hoping that this Uber Cup success will break China’s domination in women’s badminton and return Indonesia’s status of a worthy competitor of the Chinese dynasty. Indonesian Olympic champion Susi Susanti, who has led Indonesia to victory over China twice, feels that the standard of the Chinese singles players has suffered a dip.

“Moreover, this Chinese team is young, too. I believe that the main ingredient for Indonesia at the final is to keep fighting and to believe in themselves. My girls have to start believing that they are capable of winning. It's in the mind.”

When the fifth Uber Cup final between China and Indonesia kicks off at 6pm tomorrow, let’s see if the Indonesian ladies will do as Susi says.