All Indonesian tennis final in men's doubles

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia assured itself of the men's doubles title at the US$15,000 Extra Joss Men's Future-3 tennis tournament on Friday.

The pairing of Febi Widhiyanto and Hendri Susilo Pramono booked their place in Saturday's final with a hard-earned 7-6 (7- 5), 6-4 win over more experienced players Andrian Raturandang and Suwandi in a grueling match at the Kemayoran tennis complex.

Febi and Hendri, seeded fourth in the annual tournament, are tipped to face the veteran duo of Bonit Wiryawan and Sulistyo Wibowo and, surprisingly, were offered little opposition in sending the top seeded pair of Mustaf Ghouse of India and Le Minh of the United States packing with a 6-4, 6-4 win.

In the women's doubles event, Indonesia has the duo of Liza Andriyani and Angelique Widjaja left to carry the country's flag. They advanced to the semifinals after defeating the Japanese pair of Akiko Gunji and Keiko Taguchi 6-2, 7-5.

Liza and Angelique will play teammate Wukirasih Sawondari, who partnered Jeon Mi-ra of South Korea.

Wukirasih and Jeon, top seeded here, beat the Thai duo of Suchanan Viratprasert and Orawan Wongkamalasai in straight sets 6-1, 6-4.

Another Indonesian pair, Sandy Gumulya and Marjorie Sindal, could not match South Korea's Choi Jin-young and Japan's Akiko Kinebuchi, tumbling out in a 0-6, 0-6 drubbing.

Choi and Kinebuchi will play the Japanese duo of Sachie Umehara and Etsuko Yamada, who outshone Indonesian sisters Lianasari and Nuraeni Batubara 6-2, 6-3.

Jeon and Choi also excelled in the women's singles. Top seed here, Jeon overpowered Gunji 6-3, 6-3 to set up an all South Korean semifinal against Chae Kyung-yee, who overcame Orawan.

In contrast, Choi was taken to limit before downing Wukirasih 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 on Friday. She will play second seeded Umehara, who goes to the semis after crushing teammate Yamada 6-3, 7-5.

In the men's singles, top seed Danai Udomchoke came closer to the title. He beat eighth seed Leigh Holland of Australia 6-1, 6- 3 to meet fourth seed Luben Pampoulov in Saturday's semifinals. Pampoulov beat qualifier Marcel Du Coudray from Mauritius 6-4, 3- 6, 6-4.

Another final four round will see Japanese Tasuku Iwami play second seeded Donavan September of South Africa. Iwami beat third seed Per Thornadtsson of Sweden 6-2, 6-1, while September crushed Japanese Tetsuya Chaen 6-2, 6-0. (ivy)