CIGNA Open deprived of top women's stars

CIGNA Open deprived of top women's stars

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The CIGNA Open tennis championships in Jakarta are back but will
be deprived of the country's top women stars, as Angelique
Widjaja and Wynne Prakusya are heading elsewhere.

The tournament will feature 147 players and will run from Feb.
10 to Feb. 17 on the hard courts of the Jakarta Hilton Executive
Club in South Jakarta.

A total of Rp 60 million (US$6,000) in cash prizes will be on
offer.

But two stars who faced each other in a recent high-profile
tennis exhibition are missing out as they have opted to take part
in overseas tournaments -- Angelique Widjaja (ranked 147th in the
world) to Qatar and Wynne Prakusya (94th) to the United States.

"It's deplorable that they can't join the competition. We wish
they would but it seems that they have their own priority," John
Tehusijarana, from the organizing committee, told The Jakarta
Post.

"Despite the no-shows in the women's category, the top ten
men's players in the Indonesian national rankings will all turn
up," he said.

Febi Widhiyanto and Angelique are the 2001 champions in their
respective men's and women's category.

Febi is currently on the New Zealand tour along with other
national team members Suwandi, Peter Handoyo and Hendri Susilo
Pramono.

They will play New Zealand in a Davis Cup qualifier.

"All four will enter the CIGNA tournament on their return from
their overseas duty," John said.

Angelique, who defeated her senior Wynne at Wednesday's
exhibition, is going to take part in the Qatar Finaelf Open and
Dubai Women's Open starting this month. She departed for the gulf
on Thursday night.

The absence of Angelique and Wynne will prompt the CIGNA
tournament to promote 1997 SEA Games gold medalist Wukirasih
Sawondari, Liza Andriyani and Eny Sulistiowati in the women's
division.