Andrian rejoins national team today
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Tennis Association has confirmed that it will let Andrian Raturandang return to the Davis Cup team and the 19th SEA Games training.
Benny Mailili, an official of the association's National Tennis Board, said yesterday that Andrian would start training today.
"In his letter of apology today, Andrian said he was sorry for his misbehavior during training," Benny said. "He mentioned all his mistakes in detail, including being late for practice."
He said that Andrian, who suffered dehydration last month in Manila during a Davis Cup match against the Philippines, had not had enough time to rest because he often went out late at night and had visitors in his hotel room until midnight.
"He said in his letter 'if I still break the rules in the future I will take all consequences including being dismissed from the national team,'" Benny said, quoting Andrian's letter.
The board will pick four players for the Davis Cup team next month for a tie against New Zealand here. It is also supervising players' preparations for the Games, to be held here from Oct. 11 to Oct. 19.
The association had decided to send a confidential dismissal letter to the National Sports Council to avoid publicity.
Andrian declined to comment yesterday saying "I'm sorry I can't comments. I have to practice now".
The association had relegated Andrian on March 3 from the team because of his undisciplined actions.
All national team athletes who will compete at the Games are training at the Senayan sports complex and staying at Hotel Atlet Century Park.
Supervision
The council, which is responsible for the team's training and accommodation, set up a 24-hour supervision team yesterday to observe the athletes.
"We had tried to treat them like adults but we have just found out that they must be supervised," Eman Sumusi, an SEA Games team official, said yesterday.
He said the council and the hotel had started relocating the athletes yesterday.
"Female athletes are staying on the second floor and male athletes are staying on the third and fourth floors," he said.
The team is using 125 rooms, each holding four athletes, of the hotel's 600 rooms.
"We are accommodating about 450 athletes in 113 rooms and we are trying to treat them like hotel guests," said the hotel's area director and general manager Rodney Darwin.
Eman said all athletes had to go to sleep at 10.00 p.m. on work days and at midnight on weekends.
Fed Cup
In an Asia Oceania Qualifying Group I match, the Indonesian tennis team is scheduled to meet New Zealand today on the plexipave courts of the Wellington Renouf Center, Wellington.
Third-seeded Indonesia is in Group A with New Zealand, India and first-seeded Chinese Taipei. Second-seeded China is in Group B with Kazakhstan, Hong Kong and Thailand.
Benny said Indonesia had a good draw which could ensure victory in the group.
"We can beat New Zealand and India. But we have to work hard to overcome Taipei to win the group," he said.
Benny said that Yayuk Basuki, ranked 24th in the world, would play singles to take a point.
"If our second singles, either Wynne (Prakusya), Eny (Sulistyowati) or Mimma (Chernovita) can also win, Yayuk will not play doubles," he said. (yan)