Benny skips second Davis Cup clash<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's number one Benny Wijaya will, for
\nthe second time, fail to play for Indonesia in a Davis Cup play-
\noff against Chinese Taipei, slated for March 31 to April 2.<\/p>\n
\"His Taiwanese club has formally notified us about his tight
\nplaying schedules in Asia and Europe. Hence, he will not be
\navailable to strengthen Indonesia's Davis Cup team,\" Zainal
\nAbidin, secretary general of the Indonesian Tennis Association
\n(Pelti), said.<\/p>\n
Non-playing captain and coach Wailan Walalangi has not decide
\na substitution for Benny yet, Zainal added. Asian Games men's
\ndoubles bronze medalist Teddy Tanjung won the fourth place in the
\nnational team for the Davis Cup matches against South Korea.
\nExperienced Suwandi, Bonit Wiryawan and Donny Susetyo had earlier
\nfilled the line-up.<\/p>\n
Zainal was talking to reporters at a breaking of the fast
\ndinner held by the new executives of the National Sports Council
\n(KONI) and national athletes on Tuesday. The gathering also
\nserved as a farewell party for KONI former top officials.<\/p>\n
Benny, a Davis Cup player since 1990, signed a three year deal
\nworth US$250,000 with a Taiwanese club last year.<\/p>\n
He was excluded from the Davis Cup qualifying round match
\nagainst South Korea in Seoul early last month, when Indonesia
\nsuffered a 0-5 trouncing. Benny had said earlier he would miss
\nthe South Korean tour for a training program in Spain.<\/p>\n
But Pelti chairman Sarwono Kusumaatmadja turned down Benny's
\nreason, saying that Benny did not deserve being included in the
\nnational team for \"not showing commitment to national interest.\"<\/p>\n
Coach Wailan Walalangi threw his weight behind Sarwono. \"Benny
\nthinks about his club first. We have no doubts about dropping him
\nfrom the team,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, for the incoming play-off Zainal said that Pelti had
\noffered Benny to strengthen Indonesia's Davis Cup team which
\nstruggles to avoid a demotion to the second group.<\/p>\n
\"Benny is an Indonesian player. That's why Pelti decided to
\ngive him the chance. If he cannot answer our call, we, of course,
\ncannot force him,\" Zainal said.<\/p>\n
Zainal looked to avoid discussions on Benny's loyalty to the
\ncountry. Zainal said that nationalism should not be measured only
\nby the player's decision to play or not to play for his country.<\/p>\n
He expressed his guarded optimism that with or without Benny,
\nIndonesia would beat Chinese Taipei. \"Our performance does not
\nrely on an individual player,\" he said. (arf)<\/p>",
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