Men of substance (The Malay Mail

HONG KONG: Denmark's Poul Erik Hoyer-Larsen and Peter Rasmussen have
turned out to be the strongest players mentally in the Thomas Cup finals.
 They showed it again in their semifinal victory over China yesterday at
the Queen Elizabeth Stadium.
 There's a difference of a decade between Hoyer-Larsen, who turns 31 on
Sept 20, and Rasmussen, 22 on Aug 2, but they play with almost the same
level of maturity, composure and determination - something conspicously
absent in the Malaysian players.
 Experienced Hoyer-Larsen, who studied psychology to improve his game,
made a superb comeback from 1-13 down in the second set after losing the
first 15-6 to world no 1 Dong Xiong 18-17. The Dane went on to win 6-15,
18-17, 15-11.
 Rasmussen, who entered the courts knowing Denmark's passage to the final
depended on him with the score at 2-2, upset Lin Liwen 15-12, 15-3.
 It is all very simple for the Danes.
 Rasmussen explained: "I just went in there and gave my best.
 "Morten (Frost) told me he does not care if I lost or won, so long as I
gave my best.
 "I am gald my best was good enough to give us the winning point," said
Rasmussen, who is making his Thomas Cup debut.
 He also clinched the winning point against Korea in the Group match.
 And now, Rasmusssen is looking forward to the final against Indonesia
with great hope of creating history.
 "It could again come down to me for the crucial point. I am just going
to treat it as another game and give my best."
 Rasmussen could play either Alan Budi Kusuma or Ardy Wiranta.
 He has lost thrice and won once against Alan.
 Hoyer-Larsen said he was lucky to beat Dong Xiong.
 "I was on the brink of defeat at 1-13 in the second set but never gave
up. I just kept going and it worked for me," said Hoyer-Larsen.
 "It has been a long time since I played the way I did and coming just
before the Atlanta Olmypics it is simply great."
 He cited the time at the Singapore Open in 1990 when he down 2-13 in the
second set after losing the first against Alan Budi Kusuma but went on to
win 18-16. In the rubber he was down 1-12 but came back to win 18-15.
 At the World Grand Prix in 1989, he achieved a similar feat when he
defeated England's Steve Butler coming from behind.
 "Lady Luck was with me," he said.
 But it has more to do than with just luck and Hoyer-Larsen admitted
mental strength played a crucial part in his victory.
 "Sometimes things don't go according to our plans. But we have to be
mentally strong to believe in ourselves and work our way back. We also
have to consider our options under prressure. That also means taking
risks.
 "Today (yesterday) I was simply not moving in the first set and for a
major part of the second. When I got going it was a little late. But I
just believed in myself and said nothing was impossible.
 "I am glad it worked for me and I hope I will have a better outing in
the final to give Denmark a realistic chance of winning the Thomas Cup."
 Coach Morten Frost was full of praise for Hoyer-Larsen and said only
Hoyer-Larsen could have achieved a feat like that.
 "Hoyer-Larsen is the world's best comeback artist. It is not easy and
nobody wants to be in that kind of situation. But the point is he can make
that kind of recovery even when his game lets him down."
 It is a delight to watch players like Hoyer-Larsen and Rasmussen
displaying so much mental strength and triumphing against the odds.

RESULTS
THOMAS CUP (S-finals)
  Denmark 3 China 2: Poul Erik Hoyer Larsen bt Dong Jiong 6-15, 18-17,
15-11; Jon Holst Christensen-Jim Laugesen lost to Jiang Xin-Huang
Zhanzhong 12-15, 7-15; Thomas Stuer Lauridsen lost to Sun Jun 5-15, 8-15;
Henrik Svarrer-Michael Sogaard bt Ge Cheng-Tao Xiaoqiang 15-8, 17-15;
Peter Rasmussen bt Lin Liwen 15-12, 15-3.
 Indonesia 3 Korea 2: Joko Suprianto bt Park Sung Woo 18-17, 15-1; Ricky
Subagja-Rexy Mainaky bt Ha Tae Kwon-Kang Kyung Jin 15-10, 15-7; Alan Budi
Kusuma bt Lee Kwang Jin 15-6, 15-9; Antonius-Denny Kantono lost to Park
Joo Bong-Kim Dong Moon 0-15, 5-15; Ardy Wiranata lost to Ahn Jae Chang 8-
15, 3-15.
                               (END)