Edy lives dangerously in preselection match

JAKARTA (JP): Former Davis Cupper Edy Kusdaryanto had to stretch his muscles to overcome junior Yusmawan Fahmi 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-0 in the preselection tournament for the national tennis team at the Senayan clay courts yesterday.

Edy, who plays better on hard courts than on clay, got off to a slow start in this Group C match. Only his experience saved him in the first set tie-break.

"He played very well. He chased the ball all over the court," Edy said after the match, full of praise for the 21-year-old Fahmi.

"If I hadn't been able to break his serve in the third set, I would have lost," he added.

Meanwhile, Fahmi, who earned cheers from the 100 spectators, said he lost concentration in the decider.

"I don't know why but since he repeatedly broke serve I lost my confidence and composure," he said.

Fahmi, who beat Surya Wijaya 6-4, 7-5 Thursday, took control in the second set to lead 3-1. Edy was able to level the score before losing the next three games and the set.

In the deciding set, Edy, who had previously beaten Hendri Susilo 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, appeared to have regained his confidence and he wrapped up the set and the match with consummate ease as Fahmi looked terribly bewildered and demoralized.

Other former Davis Cuppers Suwandi and Donny Susetyo had little trouble beating their opponents yesterday.

Suwandi, who will meet veteran Abdul Kahar MIM today, eliminated old war-horse Yustedjo Tarik 6-2, 6-3 in 50 minutes, while Donny defeated his junior Mario Ronaldo 6-1, 6-1.

With the loss, his second in as many matches, the 1982 Asian Games champion Yustejo, 42, was eliminated from the tournament and his last match today against Muhammad Syahid will be of no more than academic interest.

Results

Group A: Tjahjono bt Haryadi Lesmana 6-1, 6-1; Mulyadi bt Jefri Trihandiansyah 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

Group B: Suwandi bt Yustedjo Tarik 6-2, 6-3; Abdul Kahar MIM bt Muhammad Syahid 6-3, 4-6, 6-2

Group C: Edy Kusdaryanto bt Yusmawan Fahmi 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-0; Surya Wijaya bt Hendri Susilo 6-2, 2-6, 6-2

Group D: Stanley Sanger bt Edo Bawono 7-5, 7-5; Donny Susetyo bt Mario Ronaldo 6-1, 6-1