Garuda beat Rajawali in Axiata Cup first final

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KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesia Garuda defeated their ‘little brother’ Indonesia Rajawali 3-0 in the Axiata Cup final first leg at the Senayan Indoor Tennis Stadium in Jakarta yesterday.

The first match saw Garuda’s first singles and world number nine Simon Santoso being given a hard time by Rajawali’s Tommy Sugiarto in the first set but Simon was too strong and beat the latter 21-19, 21-7.

In the doubles, reigning Olympic and Asian Games champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan of Garuda crushed Rajawali’s Rian Agung Saputro and Angga Pratama 21-14, 21-17.

Former world champion Taufik Hidayat sealed Garuda’s victory in 21-17, 25-27, 21-16 after a tight fight against Rajawali’s second singles Dinonysius Hayom Rumbaka.

Both teams will battle again in the second leg of the final to be held today at the same venue.

The Axiata Cup, touted as be the world’s richest badminton team competition, offers total prize money of US$1 million (RM3 million). — Bernama