Indonesia faces Davis Cup upset in South Korea<\/p>\n
SEOUL (Agencies): Seoul remains a horrifying battle ground for
\nIndonesia as in-form South Koreans won both opening singles
\nmatches for a healthy 2-0 lead over their visitors in the first
\nround of the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group One yesterday.<\/p>\n
Indonesian coach Wailan Walalangi's decision to pick Bonit
\nWiryawan to play the first singles match proved hazardous when
\nthe double specialist succumbed to South Korean number one Yoon
\nYong-il in straight sets 4-6, 5-7, 2-6. Bonit, playing singles in
\nthe Davis Cup for the first time, matched Yong-il's serve and
\nvolley game in the first two sets but then ran out of steam.<\/p>\n
Suwandi, number one player in place of Benny Wijaya, failed to
\ntake revenge for his Asian Games defeat to Lee Hyung-taik, giving
\nup 2-6, 6-7, 2-6 to the South Korean Davis Cup debutant.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Tennis Association dropped Benny from the team,
\nfollowing his decision to sign a three-year contract with a
\nTaiwanese club.<\/p>\n
Wailan will now have to reconsider fielding his doubles team
\nof Donny Susetyo and first-timer Teddy Tanjung for today's
\ndecisive rubber. A loss in today's only match will dash
\nIndonesia's hopes of making a second-round appearance.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has won all four of its home Davis Cup matches
\nagainst South Korea, but lost all three away events. A Benny-led
\nteam was drubbed 0-5 in its last trip to Seoul in 1993. The squad
\nmade amends for the humiliation with a 3-2 third-round win in
\nJakarta last year, which allowed Indonesia to play in the World
\nGroup qualifying round match against Switzerland.<\/p>\n
In Calcutta, India took both opening singles against Hong
\nKong's inexperienced Davis Cup without dropping a set.<\/p>\n
Talented Leander Paes gave the 1993 semifinalist a perfect
\nstart when he brushed aside Thorsten Poelzl 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in just
\n83 minutes.<\/p>\n
Debutant Mahesh Bhupathi built on the early advantages by
\nrouting Hong Kong's number one Sven Koehler 6-0, 6-4, 6-3.<\/p>\n
The U.S.-based Bhupathi, preferred to Asif Ismail, justified
\nhis selection with a powerful serve and volley game that gave the
\nleft-handed Koehler no room for recovery after a 6-0 rout in the
\nfirst set.<\/p>\n
Bhupathi took an hour and 38 minutes to wrap up the match,
\nbreaking Koehler's serve in the ninth game of the third set to
\nsignal the easy win.<\/p>\n
India, playing in the Asia-Oceania zonals for the first time
\nin four years, is expected to take a decisive 3-0 lead today,
\nwhen Paes partners Gaurav Natekar in the doubles against Koehler
\nand Poelzl.<\/p>\n
Expected start<\/p>\n
"It was just the start we were looking for," India's non-
\nplaying captain Jaideep Mukherjee said. "A 2-0 lead does not
\ncause sleepless nights."<\/p>\n
Mukherjee, who sees this tie as the start of India's campaign
\nto return to world group, praised Bhupathi for keeping his cool
\nin his maiden Davis Cup match.<\/p>\n
"He showed no signs of nerves that one usually associates with
\na player taking part in the competition for the first time. He
\nlost his concentration midway through the second set, but then
\nrecovered quickly to romp home easily in the third."<\/p>\n
Mark Bailey, Hong Kong's non-playing captain, said he was not
\nsurprised at the results.<\/p>\n
"The difference between the two teams was obvious," Bailey
\nsaid. "India play well on grass, while my players do not have
\nenough experience on this surface."<\/p>",
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