Benny, Yayuk join top seeds in Asiad tennis

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's best tennis players Benny Wijaya and Yayuk Basuki will be among the top five seeds in the men's and women's singles competitions at the upcoming 12th Asian Games in Hiroshima as surprise withdrawals by the host's top players mar the sports meet.

Benny, fresh from his home Davis Cup campaign against Switzerland, will likely earn the third seed for his world ranking of 290 behind India's Leander Paes, who captured the Wimbledon junior title in 1990, and Pan Bing of China in the 56- member field.

The Oct. 3-13 tennis competition, will miss Japan's big guns Shuzo Matsuoka and Kimiko Date who have opted to play open tournaments for money instead of playing for their country.

The shaken seeding list in the women's division will now have Yayuk in the second spot, behind Japan's number two Naoko Sawamatsu. Date withdrew following her unexpected defeat to lowly compatriot Mana Endo at last week's Japan Open in Nicherei.

With Davis Cuppers Benny, Suwandi, Bonit Wiryawan and Dony Susetyo forming the backbone of the national Asian Games tennis squad, Indonesia will be rated among the seeded teams.

Vice President of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Eichi Kawatai of Japan said on Sunday that organizers of the Games are lining up the seeding list for the men's team event, with Indonesia, India, China, Japan and South Korea favored to top the table.

Indonesia lost 1-4 to Switzerland in their Davis Cup World Group qualifier here on Sunday. India, dubbed Asia's strongest tennis team, also failed to make it through the Davis Cup elite group, succumbing to visiting South Africa 2-3.

Kawatai added that Indonesia's women's team, spearheaded by world number 28 Yayuk, will also be ranked among the top women's teams in Hiroshima. "But for sure, Japan will lead the seeding list," Kawatai said. Japan became the first Asian country to enter the elite group in Federation Cup, the women's division of Davis Cup.

Fifteen countries have confirmed their entries for the Asian Games tennis competition, with seven golds at stake in team and individual events.

Both the Indonesian women's pair of Yayuk and Suzanna Anggarkusuma as well as the mixed doubles team of Yayuk and Suharyadi brought home golds four years ago. (amd)