Angelique, one step further in pro tennis career

Angelique, one step further in pro tennis career

By Ivy Susanti

JAKARTA (JP): Winning this year's Wimbledon junior title has
taught rising tennis star Angelique Widjaja a lesson: be
courageous and stay focussed.

The victory not only shows that Angie, as she is fondly
called, is willing to work hard to fulfill her ambitions but it
also helped sharpen her sights on her future career.

Her path to the top was clear when she beat Russian Dinara
Safina, sister of men's tennis player Marat Safin, 6-4, 0-6, 7-5
in the girl's singles final in London.

Her victory made headlines in the Indonesian media and her
picture holding her trophy was splashed over newspapers' front
pages. She became the first Indonesian and the third Asian to win
one of the Grand Slam junior titles. The first was Kazuko
Sawamatsu of Japan in 1969 and the second Iroda Tulyaganova of
Uzbekistan in 1999.

Angie's senior Yayuk Basuki only managed to reach the
quarterfinals of the Wimbledon girl's event and fourth round of
the French Open junior in 1987 while Wynne Prakusya topped her
junior career as finalist in the Australia Open in 1998.

Shortly after her plane touched down at Soekarno-Hatta
international airport last Tuesday, she had already been invited
for talk shows with five TV stations, had a meeting with National
Sports Council (KONI) chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar and was lined
up for a series of interviews with local newspapers.

The most unforgettable experience for Angie, who will turn 17
on Dec. 12, was probably meeting President Abdurrahman Wahid at
Merdeka Palace on Wednesday along with her family and coaches.

"It was a sudden appointment. Upon my arrival in Jakarta, Pak
Wimar (Witoelar, presidential spokesman) phoned to tell me that
the President wanted to see me. I did not expect such a welcome
and my family and I had to borrow formal suits before going to
the palace," Angie told The Jakarta Post.

"But I'm proud that I could meet the President."

Angie said that the President congratulated her and offered
her help any time she wanted to compete overseas. He also
reminded her to continue her studies. Angie is a first year
student at Taruna Bhakti senior high school in her hometown,
Bandung.

"Pak Wimar told me: 'You should take Gus Dur as an example, he
has a strong mind'," she said, laughing.

Wimar, who achieved popularity as an activist and a staunch
critic of the then Soeharto government, is no stranger to
Indonesian tennis. He is a keen tennis observer and former
chairman of the National Tennis Board of the Indonesian Tennis
Association (Pelti) from 1996 to 1997.

Angie described Wimar's advice as "good" because she realizes
she needs to improve her mental outlook.

"Everybody has their own weaknesses. Me, I have a 'tempeh'
mentality. Sometimes, I would lose a game although I had an early
lead. I'm not tenacious enough so I have to compete more often."

Tempeh mentality is an idiom to describe someone who is easily
disheartened or who gives up easily.

Angie also fondly recalled a meeting with Wimbledon women's
champion Venus Williams in a party to honor the champions at the
end of the tournament.

"I chatted with Venus. She asked me how old I was and where I
came from. She asked me to take a photograph together with her
holding her trophy with the hope that I can be a Wimbledon
champion someday," she said.

All these once-in-a-life-time experiences has strengthened her
resolve to become a world-class tennis player.

"I'm sure I can equal Yayuk's highest achievement to come in
the world's top 20. I'm very optimistic about that. I want to
reach it in my 20s," she said undauntedly.

Parents

Angie is the only daughter and the youngest of six children of
father Rico Widjaja and mother Hanita Erwin. She started playing
tennis when she was four and a half. Upon seeing their daughters'
enthusiasm, her parents registered her in the FIKS tennis school
in Bandung.

"I used to go along with my five brothers when they practiced
tennis. They liked to tease me, asking me to pick up balls," she
said.

A fan of Swiss tennis queen Martina Hingis and Lindsay
Davenport of the United States, Angie stands out on court at a
towering 1.73m and with her broad smile.

Her parents can almost always be spotted at her matches,
watching her play and keeping her spirits high.

Angie surprised others when she refused to join the 2001
International Tennis Federation (ITF) Grand Slam Development
Fund, a special program for prospective junior players to compete
in top junior tournaments including one Grand Slam event.

The main reason for her refusal is that her parents and her
current coach, Deddy Tedjamukti, would not be able to accompany
her on the eight-week tour starting on May 12.

But Deddy managed to persuade her to sign the form and he also
accompanied Angie for a week. "I acted as if I didn't know her
and kept my distance, because Angie would be sent home if the ITF
team discovered this," he said.

The Wimbledon tour was the first time Angie traveled alone for
an overseas game. When she was 11 and 14-years old, she only
lasted the first week before asking the organizers to allow her
to go home.

Hanita said that Angie was rather traumatized after the two
ITF tours. "She had to sleep in boarding houses; one of them was
situated next to a graveyard. It took her quite a long time to
develop courage. At home, she usually sleeps with me."

Angie said that she learned how to get along with strangers on
the tour. "We traveled in a team. We were very close to each
other. We discussed everything together, so I didn't feel
lonely."

"It becomes more costly for mommy if she travels with me.
Besides, mommy has to take care of papi, who has just undergone
heart surgery in Singapore. Next time, I will have to travel by
myself."

Brought up as a devout Christian, she gives special meaning to
the portable CD player from her father and the mini amplifier
from her mother to remind her of her religious duties.

"Papi bought the CD player in Singapore. They gave it to me so
I could still listen to religious songs while I am abroad," she
said.

Her parents have been her sole financial supporter during her
overseas trips so far. Rico owns a hotel in Lembang, West Java,
and a textile factory.

"Papi tells me that as long as he still has enough money to
support me, he will pay for my expenses. He doesn't want to
burden anyone," she said.

Angie received full support from her parents to pursue her
career in tennis. "Papi supports me. It is up to me what I will
do for my future."

The family will not have to worry about money because scores
of companies have lined up to sponsor her trips. She has even
been offered scholarships in top universities, like UCLA.

"I don't want to accept the scholarship because otherwise I
will not be able to play in pro tournaments. I don't think I want
to continue my studies up to university because I think I'm lazy.
I will return to school only after I have had enough of tennis."