Davis Cup coach opts for junior to lead

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is likely to pick the young Febi Widhiyanto as first singles player in its Davis Cup Asia Oceania zone playoff tennis match against Qatar in Doha next week.

Coach Dedy Prasetyo told reporters on Monday that Febi, who turns 19 on Feb. 9, deserved the spot because he was physically the fittest in the national team.

Febi, Suwandi, Edy Kusdaryanto and Hendri Susilo Pramono qualified for the Davis Cup outing in a national selection last week.

"Febi is in his best shape and we hope him to win his matches," Dedy said, adding that the second singles placement should go to Suwandi, who will make his comeback to the men's team competition after a poor showing throughout last year.

Suwandi fared the best in last week's selection, winning four matches and losing once.

The Indonesian team will fly to Doha on Sunday to compete in the Davis Cup match from Feb. 12 to Feb. 14.

Host Qatar will likely feature Sultan Khalfan, Nasser Ghanem Al-Kholaifi, Mohammad Ali Khalifa Al Saoud and Mubarak H. Al Tobaishi. They will be led by nonplaying captain Mohammad Salen Al Kholaifi.

Dedy said he was in the dark about the Arabian Gulf side.

"In the 800s, Sultan holds the highest ATP ranking, while the rest of them are not even listed. Febi used to be rated 1056th but now he's out of the list," Dedy said.

Indonesia's Davis Cup regular and the country's highest ranked player Andrian Raturandang, also in the 800s, failed to qualify after winning just one of five matches he played the selection.

Fellow Davis Cup veterans Bonit Wiryawan and Sulistyo Wibowo, currently the country's best doubles team, also went out in the national selection, but Dedy will use them as sparring partners for the pairing of Hendri and Febi or Edy.

Dedy said the partnership of Febi and Hendri would be the best choice for the doubles match. They are ranked second behind Bonit and Sulistyo.

"If we are level at 1-1 in the first day, Febi will likely play doubles," the coach said. "It's the perfect moment for us to give our juniors experience."

Meanwhile Suwandi expressed his optimism that he could play his best in the Davis Cup tie.

"My personal target is to win. I'm really motivated to try my best," he said. "I know I've been away for a year and I think I'll be nervous on my return, but I'm sure I can overcome it."

Nonplaying captain Tintus Ariwibowo said he believed Suwandi would not repeat his mistakes that cost Indonesia its Davis Cup campaigns in 1996 and 1997. (yan)