Yayuk set to call it quits after 1999 Australian Open<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's best tennis player Yayuk Basuki said
\nThursday she would definitely hang up her racket after the
\nAustralian Open in January next year.<\/p>\n
She said Thursday the time had come for her to call it quits.<\/p>\n
\"This is my last appearance in the U.S. Open and the
\nAustralian Open next year will be my last tournament,\" said the
\nYogykarta native who will turn 28 in November.<\/p>\n
Yayuk has considered retirement several times in the past. She
\nreached her highest ranking of 19 in October last year but is
\ncurrently ranked 37th after several early-round tournament
\nlosses.<\/p>\n
No other Indonesian tennis player and few Asian women have
\nachieved Yayuk's feats. During her eight-year professional
\ncareer, Yayuk has collected US$1.3 million prize money.<\/p>\n
Her last singles title and the sixth of her career was the
\nNokia Open in Beijing in 1994, her sixth in her career. She has
\nconsistently maintained a top 50 ranking for the past five years
\nand her tally of conquests includes Lindsay Davenport, Gabriela
\nSabatini, Anke Huber, Helena Sukova, Mary Joe Fernandez, Zina
\nGarrison, Magdalena Maleeva, Iva Majoli and current world number
\none Martina Hingis in a Fed Cup match in Jakarta two years ago.<\/p>\n
She also achieved outstanding doubles results, partnered with
\nNana Miyagi of Japan and more recently with Caroline Vis of the
\nNetherlands.<\/p>\n
Yayuk, who is married to her coach Suharyadi, said she did not
\nexpect to improve her mediocre U.S. Open record, where she has
\nnever gone further than the second round.<\/p>\n
She plays a qualifier in the opening round, and would likely
\nnext meet world number 5 Venus Williams in the second.<\/p>\n
\"I think the draw is not really good for me because I have to
\nplay one of the top players in an early round,\" she told Antara
\nnews service.<\/p>\n
\"I don't want to think about my match against Venus. I'd
\nbetter think about my first match. I have never had good fortune
\nin the U.S. Open. This time around, I'll try harder because this
\nis my last appearance here.\"<\/p>\n
Yayuk lost to Jana Novotna last year in the second round.<\/p>\n
Despite her retirement plan, Yayuk will keep herself busy with
\nher preparations for the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in December.
\nShe has never won the gold medal in the singles event since
\nmaking her Asiad debut in 1990.<\/p>\n
When asked about the future of Indonesian tennis after her
\ndeparture, Yayuk said she had yet to find a replacement. She
\nbelieved Indonesian players fell short of experience in playing
\nin international tournaments. (yan)<\/p>",
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