Pelti has two candidates to replace Hendri in Davis Cup<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): National men's tennis players Andrian
\nRaturandang and Suhendar Dinata are the only candidates to
\nreplace second singles Hendri Susilo Pramono in the Davis Cup
\nGroup I Asia Oceania zone tie against Uzbekistan next week.<\/p>\n
Another candidate, Febi Widhiyanto, turned down Pelti's offer
\non Friday as the substitute for Hendri, his best friend off
\ncourt, arguing that he was not well-prepared for the event.<\/p>\n
Hendri withdrew from the team on Thursday after allegedly
\nenduring bad treatment from the Indonesian Tennis Association
\n(Pelti) official in charge of athletes development Sudjiono Timan
\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Pelti's spokesman Benny Mailili said the association wouldn't
\nforce players to join the team against their will.<\/p>\n
"We can't force them to accept our request," he said.<\/p>\n
Pelti has yet to announce the substitute before the Davis Cup
\ntie starts on Feb. 9 to Feb. 11 at the Kemayoran Tennis Center in
\nCentral Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will field top national player Suwandi as the first
\nsingles participant and veteran doubles pair Bonit Wiryawan and
\nSulistyo Wibowo.<\/p>\n
Uzbekistan brought team members Oleg Ogorodov, Vadim Kutsenko,
\nDmitriy Tomashevich and Dmitriy Mazur. The drawing will take
\nplace on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Dede, nicknamed Suhendar, had said he would join the team if
\nnobody was left to play in the tie. Andrian also said that he was
\nready if Pelti needed him.<\/p>\n
"I'm ready to perform if Pelti asks me to," he said, adding
\nthat he has never beaten Tomashevich and Kutsenko.<\/p>\n
"I met Tomashevich twice but I have never beaten him. I fought
\nKutsenko once but he also beat me in straight sets," he said.<\/p>\n
Febi said he had never practiced on a plexi-pave court at the
\nKemayoran Tennis Center.<\/p>\n
"I am not physically prepared for the Davis Cup. I haven't
\ncompeted on a hard court recently. I should have also warmed up
\nin various tournaments as suitable preparation. It's an honor to
\nplay in the Davis Cup, but without adequate preparation I will be
\nhumiliated," he said.<\/p>\n
SEA Games<\/p>\n
In an unrelated development, veteran women's player Yayuk
\nBasuki said she could not resist Pelti's expectation to include
\nher in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games team.<\/p>\n
"Pelti hopes I can perform to get the best achievement for
\nthis country because it still considers me one of the country's
\nbest players," she said, adding that she might perform in the
\nwomen's doubles and mixed doubles event.<\/p>\n
"Pelti asked me to play my best for this country. If it's for
\nthe country I must be ready. I am nominated, but those who are
\nthe best and the most prepared will surely perform in the Games."<\/p>\n
"Pelti is adamant that Indonesia can win in the women's
\nsingles as we have top players like Wynne Prakusya, Romana
\nTejakusuma and Wukirasih Sawondari. But they are not so sure of
\nIndonesia's chance in the doubles because they predict Thailand's
\ntop player Tamarine Tanasugarn will also perform in the Games,"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
Yayuk said she had asked Pelti to provide opportunities for
\njuniors but the body said they were not prepared for the Games,
\nwhich will be held in Kuala Lumpur in September.<\/p>\n
"Maybe in two years time, our young players will be ready to
\nbecome champions of the biennial event. I myself consider my
\ncareer in the singles event to be over."<\/p>\n
"I won gold in two SEA Games, but Wynne has never achieved
\nthat so far during her professional career. She needs to be the
\nSEA Games champion to increase her pride, her competitiveness and
\nher self-confidence, like I did," she said.<\/p>\n
Pelti invited Yayuk, Romana, Wynne, Liza Andriyani, Wukirasih
\nand juniors Angelique Wijaya, Dea Sumantri and Frederika Girsang
\nto participate in the women's side. In the men's side, Pelti
\ncalled Suwandi, Andrian, Hendri, Febi, Bonit, Sulistyo, Peter
\nHandoyo and Eko Kurniawan. (ivy)<\/p>",
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