Eddy Kusdaryanto's selection tournament woes
Eddy Kusdaryanto's selection tournament woes
JAKARTA (JP): Davis Cup debutant Eddy Kusdaryanto has failed
to recover from hepatitis and is missing the year's first
national selection tournament next week, an official said
yesterday.
Soediharso, deputy secretary-general of the Indonesia Tennis
Association, told reporters that Eddy is still resting while
undergoing medical treatment.
"I suggest Eddy should get over his illness first. Liver
disease is not like a heart attack. If you have a heart attack,
you might well die once you've had the attack. But with liver
disease .... no one can tell what will happen because it's
invisible," Soediharso said.
The selection tournament will be staged from June 1 to June 6
at the Senayan clay courts, featuring the country's top 10
players plus six juniors. The players will be split into four
groups. Group winners will make up the national elite team for
various international events.
Eddy stole the show in his first Davis Cup appearance when he
teamed up with Suwandi to beat South Korean duo Lee Hyung-taik
and Chang Eui-jong 4-6, 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (10-8), 6-3, 6-2 in a
dramatic match here in February. Indonesia eventually went down
1-4 in the first-round tie.
Eddy also skipped the Davis Cup playoff against China in March
after doctors diagnosed he was suffering from hepatitis A. They
recommended Eddy should take a two-week rest.
Eddy, who opted to concentrate on his health, was replaced by
East Timorese rookie Sebastian da Costa, who teamed up with Donny
Susetyo.
So far, only nine players have confirmed their participation
in the selection tournament. The senior players include Dede
Suhendar, Tjahjono, Sebastian, Davis Cupper Andrian Raturandang
and Djanuar Radjab. Stanley Sanger, Feby Widyanto, M Syahid and
Hendri Susilo Pramono are representing the younger generation.
The national tennis body is waiting until tomorrow for Davis
Cuppers Suwandi and Donny Susetyo to confirm their participation.
Indonesia's former best player Benny Wijaya has refused to
take part in the tournament because he has to return to Taiwan
today. The player, who extended his contract with a Taiwanese
club for another two years, also complained that the association
never treated him as a professional player.
Both Soediharso and the association's secretary-general Zainal
Abidin said that it was Benny's right to make such a statement.
But they both said that the statement should have been directed
to their predecessors. (yan)