RI's Wynne falls at first hurdle in women's tennis<\/p>\n
By Primastuti Handayani<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (JP): Indonesia's second best woman tennis player
\nWynne Prakusya made an early exit in the individual singles
\ncompetition at the 13th Asian Games on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Wynne fell to a 1-6, 5-7 defeat against China's Yi Jing-qian
\nin the first round at the Muang Thong Thani sports complex. It
\nwas 17-year-old Wynne's second straight loss to Yi. The first
\ncame in the women's team semifinals on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian doubles team of Irawati Moerid Iskandar and
\nLiza Andriyani were another first-round casualty, losing 1-6, 2-6
\nto the second seeded pair of Janet Whids Lee and Wang Shi-ting of
\nChinese Taipei.<\/p>\n
However, Wynne managed to advance in the doubles event. Her
\npartnership with Yayuk Basuki proved too strong for the
\nUzbekistan team of Likiya Bitkyakova and Iroda Tulyaganova, who
\nsuccumbed 6-3, 6-2.<\/p>\n
Wynne and Yayuk, seeded fourth in the tournament, now face the
\nChinese pair of Chen Li and Li Fang, who beat Montika Anuchan and
\nWongkamalasai Orawan of Thailand 6-2, 6-4.<\/p>\n
If Wynne and Yayuk advance, they are likely to meet top seeds
\nRika Hiraki and Nana Miyagi in the semifinals.<\/p>\n
In the singles, a restless Wynne made too many unforced errors
\nand netted a number of easy forehands to hand the first set to
\nher Chinese rival.<\/p>\n
In the second set, Yi led 5-1 but Wynne clawed back to level
\nthe score at 5-5. However, error-ridden play once again cost
\nWynne a crucial game and Yi maintained her cool and served out
\nthe match.<\/p>\n
\"When she was 5-1 up in the second set, I was more relaxed and
\nI managed to equal the score. But at 5-5, I started to play too
\ncautiously because I had to win the set. I was tense and I lost
\nmy self control,\" Wynne said.<\/p>\n
\"But Yi played very well today, even better than when we met
\non Thursday. She only made a few errors,\" she added.<\/p>\n
Yayuk's chance<\/p>\n
Indonesian team manager Benny Mailili said that with Wynne
\ncrashing out, hopes of a tennis gold medal now rested entirely
\nwith Yayuk, who is playing in the women's singles, doubles and
\nmixed doubles.<\/p>\n
\"Yayuk has said she will focus on the singles event. She has
\nsomething to prove after losing in the team event,\" Benny said.<\/p>\n
Third seeded Yayuk will meet Tatyana Babina of Kazakhstan on
\nSunday. If she wins, she will meet either Iroda Tulyaganova of
\nUzbekistan or Haruka Inoue of Japan in the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n
Yayuk is then tipped to set up a rematch with second seed and
\nworld number 40 Li Fang of China in the semifinals. Li beat Yayuk
\nin the women's team semifinals en route to a Chinese victory over
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
\"The draw has given Yayuk a chance of reaching the semifinals.
\nHer physical fitness is excellent and she is highly motivated,
\nespecially after her loss to Li,\" Benny said.<\/p>\n
He said that Yayuk had lost her \"touch\" after being absent
\nfrom singles competition for three months.<\/p>\n
\"She told me that she always felt like there was a friend
\nbeside her during the match. She still has to readjust to singles
\ncompetition, but there's nothing to worry about,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, South Korea humiliated Japan 3-0 in the men's
\ntennis team final, winning its first gold medal in the sport
\nsince the 1986 Asiad at home in Seoul.<\/p>",
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