Ferry Sonneville

Ferdinand Alexander "Ferry" Sonneville (3 January 1931 – 20 November 2003) was an Indonesian badminton player noted for his touch, consistency, tactical astuteness, and coolness under pressure. He won numerous international singles titles from the mid-1950s through the early 1960s and his clutch performances helped Indonesia to win its first three Thomas Cup (men's world team) titles consecutively in 1958, 1961, and 1964, setting the pattern for his country's continued formidable presence in world badminton. Sonneville's playing career ended on a sour note in the 1967 Thomas Cup final in Jakarta when, past his prime, he was roundly booed by his countrymen after dropping singles matches in Indonesia's controversial loss to Malaysia.

After his high-level playing days ended Sonneville was elected to terms as both president of the International Badminton Federation (now World Badminton Federation) and president of the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI).

Private life

Sonneville inherited his sports talents from his parents. His father was Dirk Jan Sonneville (1906-1944), a local tennis champion in the 1930s, and Leonij Elisabeth de Vogel (later Hubeek) (1908-1989), a badminton champion between 1935 and 1945, who taught him the game in the 1940s. His father was a brigade major of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army in the war and was executed by the Japanese. Sonneville married Yvonne Theresia de Wit in September 1954 and had 3 children, called Ferdinand Rudy Jr. (who died at the age of 21), Genia Theresia, and Cynthia Guedolyn. Sonneville also had two grandchildren. His religion was Catholic.

Education

• Erasmus University, Netherlands.

Sports career

• Jiujitsu Athlete and coach (1949–1955)
• Playing captain or coach when Indonesia won or successfully defended Thomas Cup (world team badminton championships) 3 times in succession (1958, 1961, and 1964).
• Winning Malaysia Open (1955), Dutch Open (1956, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962), Scotland's World Invitational Tourney (1957), French Open (1957, 1960), German Open (1958, 1960, 1961), Canadian Open (1962), U.S. Open (1962), along with runner-up finish at the All England Championships (1959)
• PB PBSI's founder (1951) and Komite Olahraga Nasional Indonesia's founder (1966)
• KONI's President (1970)
• Member of staff Asian Games Federation Council (1970)
• Chef de Mission Indonesian contingent to Olympic (1971)
• International Federation Badminton president (1971–1974)
• PBSI's President (1981–1985)

Achievements

Asian Games

Men's singles

Year	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
1962	Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia	Template:Flagicon Tan Yee Khan		Bronze Bronze

International tournaments (16 titles, 12 runners-up)

Men's singles

Year	Tournament	Opponent	Score	Result
1954	Selangor Open	Template:Flagicon Ong Poh Lim	15–11, 15–8	Winner
1955	Malaysia Open	Template:Flagicon Jørn Skaarup	15–5, 15–4	Winner
1956	Dutch Open	Template:Flagicon Hugh Findlay	15–3, 15–6	Winner
1956	German Open	Template:Flagicon Eddy Choong	6–15, 0–15	Runner-up
1957	French Open	Template:Flagicon David Choong	15–4, 15–3	Winner
1957	German Open	Template:Flagicon Eddy Choong	12–15, 12–15	Runner-up
1958	Dutch Open	Template:Flagicon Erland Kops	15–3, 15–8	Winner
1958	German Open	Template:Flagicon Bo Nilsson	15–11, 15–4	Winner
1959	All England	Template:Flagicon Tan Joe Hok	8–15, 15–10, 3–15	Runner-up
1959	Dutch Open	Template:Flagicon Knud Aage Nielsen	13–18, 9–15	Runner-up
1959	Belgian Championships	Template:Flagicon Knud Aage Nielsen	13–15, 2–15	Runner-up
1960	Dutch Open	Template:Flagicon Hugh Findlay	15–11, 15–4	Winner
1960	French Open	Template:Flagicon William Havers	15–1, 15–1	Winner
1960	German Open	Template:Flagicon Lee Kin Tat	15–9, 18–13	Winner
1961	Dutch Open	Template:Flagicon Charoen Wattanasin	15–8, 15–5	Winner
1961	German Open	Template:Flagicon Lee Kin Tat	15–5, 15–1	Winner
1961	French Open	Template:Flagicon Erland Kops	12–15, 10–15	Runner-up
1962	Dutch Open	Template:Flagicon Charoen Wattanasin	15–7, 15–3	Winner
1962	German Open	Template:Flagicon Erland Kops	10–15, 15–14, 3–15	Runner-up
1962	Canadian Open	Template:Flagicon Jim Poole	17–16, 17–18, 15–9	Winner
1962	U.S. Open	Template:Flagicon Tan Joe Hok	17–15, 18–17	Winner

Men's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1960	French Open	Template:Flagicon David Choong	Template:Flagicon Pierre Lenoir Template:Flagicon Ghislain Vasseur	15–4, 15–9	Winner
1962	Canadian Open	Template:Flagicon Jim Carnwath	Template:Flagicon Jim Poole Template:Flagicon Bobby Williams	6–15, 8–15	Runner-up
1962	U.S. Open	Template:Flagicon Tan Joe Hok	Template:Flagicon Joe Alston Template:Flagicon Wynn Rogers	12–15, 13–15	Runner-up
1962	Mexican Open	Template:Flagicon Berndt Dahlberg	Template:Flagicon Erland Kops Template:Flagicon Tan Joe Hok	7–15, 17–14, 4–15	Runner-up
1963	All England Open	Template:Flagicon Tan Joe Hok	Template:Flagicon Finn Kobberø Template:Flagicon Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen	6–15, 5–15	Runner-up

Mixed doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1960	French Open	Template:Flagicon Yvonne Theresia Sonneville	Template:Flagicon Yeoh Kean Hua Template:Flagicon Rita A. Rabey	Walkover	Winner
1963	German Open	Template:Flagicon Yvonne Theresia Sonneville	Template:Flagicon Poul-Erik Nielsen Template:Flagicon Kirsten Thorndahl	4–15, 14–17	Runner-up

Invitational tournament

Men's singles

Year	Tournament	Opponent	Score	Result
1956	World Invitational Championships	Template:Flagicon Joe Alston	2–15, 15–13, 12–15	Silver Silver
1957	World Invitational Championships	Template:Flagicon Eddy Choong	8–15, 6–15	Silver Silver
1958	World Invitational Championships	Template:Flagicon Berndt Dahlberg	15–0, 17–14	Gold Gold
1960	World Invitational Championships	Template:Flagicon Finn Kobberø	12–15, 15–4, 3–15	Silver Silver

Business career

• Vayatour Chairman Executive Board Lippo Cikarang
• Ferry Sonneville & Co – owner
• Chairman of Realestat Indonesia Center Council 1986-1989 periods
• President and member of the Executive Committee Realestat Internasional Federation since 1989
• Advisory Council Chairman – International Executive Service

Educational career

• Pioneer of Trisakti Foundation represent Lembaga Pembinaan Kesatuan Bangsa
• Founder of Himpunan Pembina Perguruan Tinggi Swasta
• Founder of Asosiasi Perguruan Tinggi Katholik Indonesia
• Special Citizen and member of Atma Jaya Foundation
• Member of Fatmawati Foundation
• Member of Bhakti Medika Foundation
• Member of Penyandang Anak Cacat Foundation
• Member of Gedung Arsip Nasional Foundation
• Indonesian Nederland Forum

Honours

• Satya Lencana Kebudayaan (1961)
• Tanda Jasa Bintang RI Kelas II (1964)
• "Knighthood" from Roman Catholic Church (1972)
• FIABCI Medal of Honour, Melbourne (1988).

Sources

• PBSI, DPP REI, Kompas 21/11/03, Media Indonesia 21/11/03/, Sinar Harapan 20/11/03/, Pikiran Rakyat 21/11/03

External links

• Pahlawan Olahraga Indonesia Template:Webarchive (In Indonesian)