Angie, Wynne a challenge to German players: Lang
Angie, Wynne a challenge to German players: Lang
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The German team will be in for a "challenge" against local stars
Angelique Widjaja and Wynne Prakusya when they take on Indonesia
in a Federation Cup playoff, according to the head of the
visiting delegation.
"You have two strong players. We have respect for them. It's a
challenge for our players," Gunther Lang told The Jakarta Post
during his team's training session at the Senayan Tennis Courts
here on Monday.
Lang specifically singled out Angelique as a very strong
player.
The German team, which arrived here on Sunday, comprises nine
members -- four players and five officials. They had a four-hour
practice, two hours in the morning and two hours in the
afternoon.
The players went through some practice games, with Anca Barna
playing with Vanessa Henke inside the hardcourt stadium and
Barbara Rittner taking on Angelika Roesch on another court,
outside the stadium.
The hardcourt stadium, which used to have a clay surface, will
be the venue of the two-day matches starting on Saturday.
Marlene Weingartner, who was part of the singles contingent
during the team's 2-3 defeat at the hands of Slovakia in April,
was not with the team. She has been forced to delay her departure
because of illness and will arrive on Wednesday.
"She has had a cold for a few days. We prefer to wait for her
fitness. She will be fit," Lang said, adding that the team
encountered no problems in adjusting to local weather and the
court.
If Weingartner is fit, the German team is likely to field her
and Anca Barna in the singles, with Barbara Rittner teaming up
with one of them in the doubles.
However, Lang, who is the Vice-President of the German Tennis
Association, would not confirm the roster, and would leave it the
captain to decide.
"We're at the moment assessing the form of some players. The
captain will decide," he said.
Germany has been forced into a playoff after losing to
Slovakia in the quarterfinals of the World Group. A loss to
Indonesia would relegate them out of the elite group.
Lang was aware of the consequences of a loss. "It would be a
pity for the team (being eliminated from the World Group)," he
said.
Meanwhile, at a media conference, held at the office of the
Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti), the Indonesian team
expressed confidence about the matches.
"I'm really fired up for these Fed Cup matches. I have been
longing to play for my team at home. I'm absolutely enthusiastic
about playing in front of home fans," Angie, as Angelique Widjaja
is more popularly known, said.
Wynne Prakusya was also present, but Sandy Gumulya and Septi
Mende were not, both junior members in the team still on their
Australian tour and will return on Tuesday.