Singapore’s Ronald Susilo beats Malaysia’s Lee Tsuen Seng in 2 straight sets!

Ronald Susilo, ranked 23rd in the world, plays his first Aviva Open Singapore 2007 match tonight at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.  This picture was taken from Aviva Open 2006. Pictures by Leslie Tan/Red Sports.

Hello, everybody!

The Red Sports Crew is bringing you another round of live reporting, right here on your computer screen – this time from Singapore Indoor Stadium.

We’re into the second day of Aviva Open Singapore 2007, and the games from the main draw have been happening the whole day since nine in the morning.  We’re about to bring you the live action update of Singapore’s favorite badminton boy, Ronald Susilo, who will be playing Lee Tsuen Seng of Malaysia in his first Preliminary Round game in the tournament.

This is Cheng, and I’ll be bringing you the live update.  Coach Dick Yip has been watching the earlier games, and will be bringing you some post-match reports.  And of course, Uncle Les our man, together with our volunteer-photographer Lai JunWei, will be capturing the glorious moments of the match.

The Men’s Singles between Lee Tsuen Seng and Ronald Susilo has just started.

Set 2
– Susilo wins second set 21-15, and his first match 2-0!
– Lee makes another bad smash and the shuttle flies out of bounds.
– Lee smashes but the shuttle flies out of bounds.  Susilo at match-point 20-15!
– Lee sets up a chance for Susilo to smash the shuttle right back past Lee’s shoulder.  Susilo closes in on match point!  19-15.
– Lee makes another hit into the net.  Susilo serves 18-15.
– Lee sends a high lob that drops within the boundary line.  Susilo laughs at the judgement call.  Lee serves 15-17.
– Susilo makes a good hit and regains serve 17-14.
– Susilo makes a drop, but Lee powers up and smashes the shuttle into Susilo’s body again.  Lee serves 14-16.
– Lee executes a cross-court smash and Susilo is caught offguard.  Lee regains serve 13-16.
– Lee makes a back-hand return, but with poor control.  The shuttle flies out of bounds.  Susilo moves ahead 16-12.
– It is Susilo’s turn to hit the shuttle into the net.  Lee serves 12-14.
– Lee smashes the shuttle into the net again.  Susilo leads 14-11.
– Lee begins serve and Susilo immediately returns a smash.  Susilo regains serve 13-11.
– After a long rally, Lee makes a powerful smash to the backcourt and Susilo stumbles and fails to return.  Lee regains serve 11-12.
– Lee makes a leap-smash, but Susilo returns and goes into counter-attack, sending the shuttle to the backcourt.  Lee makes a poor judgement not to return and Susilo moves ahead 12-10.
– Lee smashes the shuttle right into the net!  Susilo gains lead 11-10.
– Susilo makes a good strong hit that flies right by Lee’s shoulder and levels 10-10.
– Lee makes another out-of-bound shot and Susilo closes in 9-10.
– Lee sends the shuttle to the backcourt but the shuttle goes out of bounds.  Susilo serves 8-10.
– Lee makes a cross-court smash and Susilo returns a deflected shuttle.  Lee leads 10-7.
– Is Susilo swearing under his breath?
– Susilo sets up a high lob for a Lee smash, and fails to return.  Lee regains serve 9-7.
– Susilo makes a smash and wins serve 7-8.
– Susilo makes a smash but the shuttle flies out of boundary.  Lee holds serve 8-6.
– Lee serves 7-6.
– The score-board has resumed functionality.  And I can finally take a breath.
– Lee executes a smash to the right court, but fails to clear the boundary.  Susilo leads 6-5.
– Susilo goes on counter-attack and smashes the shuttle right past Lee’s racket.  Susilo levels 5-5.
– Lee makes a weak return and the shuttle fails to clear the net.  Susilo 4-5.
– Lee sends a smash and makes a net-shot, Susilo gets caught offguard.  Lee serves 5-3.
– Susilo executes a smash and Lee fails to return.  Susilo wins serve 3-4.
– Susilo hits the shuttle to the backcourt and makes Lee chase after it, but he recovers and goes on to execute a smash on Susilo.  Susilo makes a weak return.  Lee holds serve 4-2.
– After a long rally of high shuttles, Lee changes momentum and smashes, catches Susilo offguard.  Lee leads 3-2.
– The second set goes into an early level at 2-2.

Set 1
– Susilo wins first set 21-16, and leads the match 1-0.
– Susilo smashes to back right court, and Lee fails to return.
– Lee sends a high lob to the back court, but the shuttle drops beyond back boundary line.  Susilo at set-point 20-16.
– Susilo smashes the shuttle right onto Lee’s head.  19-16.
– In an exciting rally play, Susilo sends Lee running back and forth, and Lee stumbles and loses his footing.
– Susilo sends a drop and Lee fails to return.  18-16.
– In an exchange of drops, Susilo flicks the shuttle to the back-court and catches Lee offguard.  Susilo resumes serve 17-16.
– Susilo is looking more comfortable with his smashes and returns.  He attempts a smash but the shuttle goes out of back boundary line.  Lee levels 16-16.
– Lee scores another point and moves closer on Susilo’s lead 15-16.
– Lee smashes and Susilo fails a return when the shuttle flies past his racket.  Lee 14-16.
– Game is disrupted with a technical fault in the score-board.
– Lee attempts a gentle drop to cross-court but fails to make it past the net.  Susilo moves ahead 14-12.
– Susilo sends the ball cross-court and Lee makes erroneous judgement.  Susilo leads again 13-12.
– Lee sends a high lob, Susilo makes a leap-smash.  Game level at 12-12.  Susilo serves.
– Lee makes a bad return and Susilo trails 11-12.
– After a rally, Lee smashes the shuttle right into Susilo’s torso.  10-11.
– Susilo smashes and wins serve 9-11.
– Lee smashes cross-court, and Susilo fails to return.  11-8 to Lee.
– Lee sends the shuttle out of bounds again, and Susilo serves 8-10.
– Susilo makes a weak return and sends the shuttle into the net.  Lee serves 10-7.
– Susilo executes a smash that lands at Lee’s feet!  6-8
– Lee sends the shuttle to the backcourt but it goes out of bounds.  Susilo wins the serve again 5-8.
– Lee makes Susilo run back and forth with his wily placements of the shuttle, and moves ahead into a 8-4 lead.
– Susilo seems to be confused by the lighting in the stadium.
– Lee executes a couple of smashes that stump Susilo and quickly overtakes the lead at 6-4.
– Lee makes a net-shot, Susilo fails to return.  Lee 2-3.
– Susilo fails to return a drop from Lee. Lee serves 1-3.
– Lee makes a return right into the net.  Susilo leads 3-0.
– Lee executes two consecutive smashes that land just beyond the side boundary line, and gives Susilo a 2-0 lead.
– Susilo wins right to serve.

In just about forty-five minutes, Ronald Susilo has done our nation proud by beating Malaysian Lee Tsuen Seng in two straight sets (21-16, 21-15).

Congratulations to our golden boy of badminton!