Wynne upbeat to grab gold in doubles with Romana<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's highest-ranked women's singles
\ntennis player, Wynne Prakusya, was optimistic about winning gold
\nin the women's doubles with senior Romana Tedjakusuma in the 20th
\nSoutheast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam, despite only
\nrecently recovering from a back injury.<\/p>\n
\"I think Romana and I have a very good chance to win the gold
\nin the doubles event,\" she told reporters on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"We also have a chance to win gold in the team event because
\nthe second single will likely be Romana and I think she's
\nexperienced enough in the event.\"<\/p>\n
Indonesia hopes to win three gold medals in the women's of
\nsingles, doubles and team events.<\/p>\n
Two years ago, the Indonesian team won all women's events
\nafter upsetting first-seeded Thailand. Wukirasih Sawondari upset
\nthen world No. 37 Tamarine Tanasugarn to get the singles gold,
\nLiza Andriyani and Wynne Prakusya in the doubles and the women's
\nteam.<\/p>\n
\"In the singles event, I think I also have a chance,\" said
\nWynne, who is ranked in the world 200s.<\/p>\n
Wynne said she missed three warming up Challenger tournaments
\nin the United States -- in New Jersey, Kentucky and Atlanta --
\ndue to her back injury.<\/p>\n
\"I suffered the injury when I was playing in the Little Rock
\ntournament in June. My doctor and my coach suggested I take a
\nbreak for about two weeks. After that Bill Tym, who supervised my
\ntraining in the United States, urged me to choose between my
\ninternational tournaments and the SEA Games.\"<\/p>\n
\"I prefer to play in the SEA Games because it's a biennial
\nevent while there are more than 20 satellites and challenges in a
\nyear.\"<\/p>\n
Coach Suharyadi said Wynne's poor form in the West Java
\nGovernor's Cup last week was due to her recent injury and
\ninfluenza.<\/p>\n
\"After returning from the United States, Wynne must recover
\nfrom her injury first. But then she caught a cold and had to take
\na one-week rest. Now she's improving and I hope she can reach her
\npeak in Brunei,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Wynne saw Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia as the
\ntoughest rivals in the Games from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15.<\/p>\n
\"The Thailand second stringers have equal technical skills.
\nBut the Philippines and Malaysia have only one top player each.\"<\/p>\n
Wynne admitted that she had a burden as the highest-ranked
\nplayer in the Games.<\/p>\n
\"Of course I have more pressure on me. But I can overcome it
\nby considering them as my contenders in professional tournaments
\ninstead of SEA Games rivals.\"<\/p>\n
Indonesia also aims to steal one gold in the mixed doubles.<\/p>\n
\"We have prepared several pairs to compete in the event. But
\nwe have yet to make any decisions on who will be fielded there,\"
\nSuharyadi said.<\/p>\n
Pelti is preparing combinations of Suwandi and Wukirasih, Liza
\nand Hendri Susilo Pramono, Hendri and Wukirasih and Suwandi and
\nRomana.<\/p>\n
However, Indonesia is not optimistic in the men's events.<\/p>\n
Coach Tintus Arianto Wibowo named Thailand and the Philippines
\nas the toughest opponents in the Games.<\/p>\n
\"I hope the players will be able to get revenge on the
\nPhilippines because they beat us here in the Davis Cup early this
\nyear,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The first tennis match will be on Monday at a plexipave
\noutdoor court.<\/p>\n
Suwandi, the 1993 Games gold medalist, named Paradorn
\nSrichaphan of Thailand and Joseph Lizardo and Bryan Juinio of the
\nPhilippines as his toughest rivals.<\/p>\n
\"I will concentrate on the singles and I hope to do my best,\"
\nhe said. (yan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wynne-upbeat-to-grab-gold-in-doubles-with-romana-1447893297",
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