Ode To Latitude
The SEA Games (1)

The latitude wiped away the sweat that ran down his face and neck. Occasionally he used up mineral water, while adjusting his breathing. The fan in the room was not able to make the sultry feeling in the body of the athletes reduced. In May in Vietnam into summer, temperatures in the area reached 32 degrees Celsius.

The Indonesian team has just conducted a field test, tomorrow the men's team will be against Laos and the women's team will be against the Philippines. According to Koh Toni's direction, when the women's team plays in the morning, all men's teams and women's players who are not played will be supporters in the stands, vice versa as a form of support for fellow players.

Both teams with the coach determine the line up of players who will compete tomorrow. A squad contains five matches. The arrangement depends on the agreement of two teams that will compete can be 3 singles and 2 doubles or vice versa 2 singles and 3 doubles. 

The Laotian team proposed that 3 singles and 2 doubles be awarded to the match committee. As per the group match rules, the line up will be announced one hour before the match starts. 

The Laos team considers the performance of the Indonesian double team which they think is very strong, while the single team performance is not as good as the double team. The Laos team strategy is to steal points in a single sector, since the agreed order of matches is single-double-single-double-single, single-six, in the group stage all sectors will play in order until it runs out even though the opponent has won 3 times of the total match. Whereas in the quarter-finals until the final three wins in one game, it was enough to end the match.

Lintang berbuk with the men's team, they agreed to lower all junior players in accordance with the order of rank in each sector single and double (the order of players must be based on the rank cth: single 1, single, world ranking 134 then single 2 selected next rank above 134 can not be in random)

The composition of Indonesian players has been determined, the coach and all players have agreed. The win rate according to the prediction is 70% for the junior teams, the agreed targets of one single and two doubles are required to win.

"Friends, agreed targets please.remember and do not be a burden when competing. We've been training for three months, we've been sparing with seniors beyond our national plate hope that what has been trained can be a provision and a benchmark when competing tomorrow" lintang said encouraging the Junior team who looked serious listening to the direction. 

Annisa's daughter team directs its members. Among all the female players she is the most senior, entering 27 years since the age of 15 years she has played in the single sector as well as being the youngest player at the SEA Games at that time. Annisa has been hinting at retirement since last year but the PBSI seems to have yet to agree, and is still asking for his guidance for juniors who will level up to the first-team player to take the lead. 

The women's team allowed the Philippines team to choose the order of the match and the Philippines team chose three stays and two doubles. Annisa dropped to number 1 as the Philippines had a single senior who had been invited by the BWF to participate in the Badminton World Championship tournament, one of the prestigious tournaments other than the Olympics and All England. The prediction of the women's team, the Philippines will lower the main squad.

*****

The first day match went according to predictions, the Philippine women's team dropped the main squad. The first match ended tight, Indonesia led with a team score of 1-0 The second match Indonesia again superior the position to 2-0. Match 3 Indonesia lost the rubber game, the position changed 2-1. The 4th match Indonesia won easily, a score of 3-1 is enough to be proof of Indonesia's victory. The fifth match ended sweetly 4-1, Indonesia ahead in the first party.

In the afternoon the stands were suddenly crowded, twice as many as in the morning. It seems that the men's team managed to attract public interest so they flocked to attend on the field in support of the four teams that were competing.

Laos won the first victory through their senior men's singles who managed to win straight games. Laos supporters cheered. Not to lose to the opponent, supporters of Indonesian women cheered no less men's doubles entered the field. The stand became twice more excited because of the visuals of Laotian and Indonesian players. The four of them looked more handsome. Ignorant Indonesian supporters shout ea.ea.ea..in the stands during the warm-up. The camera highlights the misbehaved Laos players, while the relaxed Indonesian doubles players are used to the typical jargon of supporters. 

The second match reaped enough results to make Indonesian supporters cheer their loyalty, he said, more than three times the referee considered cheating Indonesian players in critical points and ended defeat because the Indonesian men's singles such as losing motivation on the field and the pressure of the opponent became greater. 2-1 is led by Laos.

The second men's doubles forced to work hard must win the match. Lintang inevitably gives a message to the third single to be more relaxed listen to the direction of the coach and ignore opponents or supporters who try to provoke.

Luck is on the Indonesian side. Men's doubles appear confident and able to subvert opponents within 45 minutes 12 seconds. Score draw 2-2.

Lintang hope to be anxious in the VIP stands. Other players cheered loudly but Lintang chose silence, focusing on the course of the match. 

"Haiss" hiss Latitude as kock hit the net. 

The heart of Latitude is pounding fast, discomfort makes her sitting position moved. 

The first set ended with Indonesia losing 12-21 points distance which is quite far. Lintang was worried, his confidence began to falter when the beginning of set two Indonesia trailed 0-4.

Indonesian supporters are back in a fuss hitting balloons and supporters' property provided by sponsors. After a long battle Lintang can withstand relief, rubber game proves junior Indonesia is still a formidable opponent.

"Thank you for the hard work of the players who played today. Tomorrow the men's team will play the defending champions of the Malaysian team, and the women's team will play the hosts. After dinner we gather again to determine the line up" said Koh Toni while making notes on his notes.

*****

The Indonesian and Malaysian men's teams chose the order of three doubles and two singles. In strength these two teams draw let alone coach doubles Malaysia is a former Indonesian national player who is accustomed to the slick game in front of the net and fast game tempo. According to Koh Toni's records, the two singles likely to be revealed are Thian Hao and one young player Alvin Lim who earlier this year had just promoted the Malaysian badminton association to senior level. 

Malaysia and Indonesia dropped the main squad with the ambition to win gold while Malaysia needed to defend the title. Tomorrow's match is confirmed to be the fiercest preliminary round in the week of the SEA Games batminton.

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