Davis Cup coach opts for junior to lead
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)