Angie, Wynne a challenge to German players: Lang<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The German team will be in for a "challenge" against local stars
\nAngelique Widjaja and Wynne Prakusya when they take on Indonesia
\nin a Federation Cup playoff, according to the head of the
\nvisiting delegation.<\/p>\n
"You have two strong players. We have respect for them. It's a
\nchallenge for our players," Gunther Lang told The Jakarta Post
\nduring his team's training session at the Senayan Tennis Courts
\nhere on Monday.<\/p>\n
Lang specifically singled out Angelique as a very strong
\nplayer.<\/p>\n
The German team, which arrived here on Sunday, comprises nine
\nmembers -- four players and five officials. They had a four-hour
\npractice, two hours in the morning and two hours in the
\nafternoon.<\/p>\n
The players went through some practice games, with Anca Barna
\nplaying with Vanessa Henke inside the hardcourt stadium and
\nBarbara Rittner taking on Angelika Roesch on another court,
\noutside the stadium.<\/p>\n
The hardcourt stadium, which used to have a clay surface, will
\nbe the venue of the two-day matches starting on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Marlene Weingartner, who was part of the singles contingent
\nduring the team's 2-3 defeat at the hands of Slovakia in April,
\nwas not with the team. She has been forced to delay her departure
\nbecause of illness and will arrive on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
"She has had a cold for a few days. We prefer to wait for her
\nfitness. She will be fit," Lang said, adding that the team
\nencountered no problems in adjusting to local weather and the
\ncourt.<\/p>\n
If Weingartner is fit, the German team is likely to field her
\nand Anca Barna in the singles, with Barbara Rittner teaming up
\nwith one of them in the doubles.<\/p>\n
However, Lang, who is the Vice-President of the German Tennis
\nAssociation, would not confirm the roster, and would leave it the
\ncaptain to decide.<\/p>\n
"We're at the moment assessing the form of some players. The
\ncaptain will decide," he said.<\/p>\n
Germany has been forced into a playoff after losing to
\nSlovakia in the quarterfinals of the World Group. A loss to
\nIndonesia would relegate them out of the elite group.<\/p>\n
Lang was aware of the consequences of a loss. "It would be a
\npity for the team (being eliminated from the World Group)," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, at a media conference, held at the office of the
\nIndonesian Tennis Association (Pelti), the Indonesian team
\nexpressed confidence about the matches.<\/p>\n
"I'm really fired up for these Fed Cup matches. I have been
\nlonging to play for my team at home. I'm absolutely enthusiastic
\nabout playing in front of home fans," Angie, as Angelique Widjaja
\nis more popularly known, said.<\/p>\n
Wynne Prakusya was also present, but Sandy Gumulya and Septi
\nMende were not, both junior members in the team still on their
\nAustralian tour and will return on Tuesday.<\/p>",
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