The Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) will send 10 shuttlers to the China Open next month, eyeing men's singles finals.?
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The tournament will be held November 9-14 in Guangzhou, southern China.

Indonesian hopefuls are 2004 Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat and Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the men's singles, Candra Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto and Markis Kidho/Hendra Setiawan in the men's doubles, Nova Widhianto/Lilyana Natsir and Anggun Nugroho/Yunita Tetty in the mixed doubles.

"We hope Taufik can reach the men's singles finals. Reaching the semi-finals in the men's doubles would be a good run for our players," PBSI head of development affairs Icuk Sugiarto was quoted Wednesday by The Jakarta Post as saying.

Icuk said he would not set a target for the mixed doubles as they were newly paired.

He acknowledged the tough field of the China Open with the hosts expecting to run hot on their own turf.

"Therefore, we have to accept that a maximum target of becoming finalists is realistic. We don't want to be preoccupied with chasing the championship. That would only burden the shuttlers," he said.

Candra Wijaya, whose appearance in Guangzhou will see him reunite with former partner Sigit Budiarto for the first time since 2002, are expected to reach the semi-finals.

The players will continue their trip to the Singapore Open November 15-21, where they will be joined by other players such asSimon Santoso, Wimpie Mahardi, men's doubles Luluk Hadiyanto/AlvenYulianto and Flandi Limpele/Eng Hiam, women's doubles Jo Novita/Lita Nurlita, Gresyia Polii/Heni Budiman, and Natalia/Rane Mundiastuti.

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2004)