Indonesia Open assured for '96<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the Indonesian Tennis Association
\n(Pelti), Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, announced yesterday that poor
\nattendance and lack of sponsorship would not deter Pelti from
\norganizing the Indonesia Open Tennis Championships next year.<\/p>\n
\"For the sake of national tennis development, Pelti has
\ndecided to hold the annual tournament next year,\" Sarwono, who is
\nalso Minister of Environment, said yesterday in a statement.<\/p>\n
Sarwono indicated that if, due to poor attendance, there were
\nno sponsors interested in next year's tournament, Pelti would
\nturn to the Adi Nawaeka foundation to keep it running.<\/p>\n
The foundation was set up last year to anticipate any
\nfinancial crisis related to a lack of sponsorship. It is
\ncomprised of eight people, including Minister\/State Secretary
\nMoerdiono who acts as patron, and Pontjo Soetowo, owner of the
\nHilton Hotel Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Previously, Sarwono had said he would first discuss the matter
\nwith the private bank which had spent US$600,000 to sponsor this
\nyear's tournament before deciding about the future of the
\ntournament.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said he believed that if Pelti consistently holds the
\ntournament annually, more and more people would become interested
\nin going to the stadium to watch it live and, one day, the
\ntournament would be watched by a filled-to-capacity stadium.<\/p>\n
Eddy Katimansyah, the current tournament director, said that
\nYusuf Arbianto, director of the private bank which sponsored the
\nthis year's tournament, had told him that he was disappointed
\nabout the turnout and would only act as a co-sponsor next year.<\/p>\n
The number of spectators at the two-week tournament, which
\nstarted on Jan. 2 with the women's event and continued on Jan. 9
\nwith the men's open, reached a low ebb this year.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's finals were watched by only 200 people even though
\nit was held on a weekend.<\/p>\n
Paul Haarhuis, winner of the men's singles, expressed dismay
\nat the poor turnout.<\/p>\n
Attendance was good only at the exhibition match between
\nIndonesian tennis queen Yayuk Basuki and former tennis great
\nMartina Navratilova on Jan. 4, where the number of spectators
\nreached 2,400 (arf).<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-open-assured-for-96-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}