Fed Cup heroes to compete in Astra junior tournament

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Fed Cuppers, Wynne Prakusya and Eny Sulistyowati, are to participate in the 10th Indonesia Astra International Junior Championships here, the Indonesia Tennis Association announced yesterday.

Wynne and Eny helped Indonesia to victory in the Fed Cup Asia Oceania Qualifying Round Group I in Wellington with senior Yayuk Basuki, world ranked 24, and Mimma Chernovita.

The association's secretary-general, Zainal Abidin, said Wynne and Eny were among the 123 players from 22 countries in the championships, which takes place at the Hilton's plexipave tennis courts from March 23 to March 30. Last year 120 players from 19 countries took part in the tournament.

"Their success in the Fed Cup tie last week was a great start to their careers. But the association still wants to improve their physical and mental condition," he said.

"Wynne and Eny still need such a championships at their age. We don't want to force them to take part in bigger satellite or challenger tournaments yet," he said.

Zainal said the association would not showcase its young talent in bigger tournaments while there was still a risk of them losing.

"If they often lose in bigger tournaments, we're afraid it would influence their mental condition in the future," he said.

The association decided not to field Wynne and Eny, who arrived from Wellington yesterday, in the Danamon Indonesia Open, a US$100,000, tier four tournament here next month.

Young players

Benny Mailili, a member of the association's National Team Board, said the board would field its young players in both junior and senior tournaments.

But they will play 60 percent of the time in junior tournaments.

"With the new science and technology program we have, we don't want to push the players too fast," he said.

Defending champion Peter Handoyo of Indonesia, who is being trained at the Van der Meer camp in South Carolina, is the top seed in the Astra tournament.

Peter, whose International Tennis Federation ranking is 60, is likely to face the toughest challenges from South African Jacco can der Westhuizen and Alexandra Zlatnik of Austria.

National team member Febi Widhiyanto is seeded 10 and compatriot Hendri Susilo Pramono is seeded 14.

Austrian Nina Aigner, ITF ranked 44, is the top girl's seed followed by Abigail Tordoff of England and Marisue Jacutin of the Philippines.

Wynne and Eny are seeded six and seven.

The association is giving wild cards to Mario Ferdinandus, Ferdy Fauzi, Samuel Margono and Rangga PS Temat in the boys' side and to Mudarwati and Frederika Ginsang in the girls side.

Aminuddin of sponsor Astra said the sponsor could not provide prize money because the ITF forbids it.

"We'll give other rewards to the winners," he promised.

Aminuddin said that Astra was helping stage the event to give young players a chance to experience competing with foreign players.

"We hope more clubs outside Jakarta will send their players to take part," he said. (yan)