Andrian rejoins national team today
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)