Fourteen join ITF Jr event in Jakarta
Fourteen join ITF Jr event in Jakarta
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Fourteen countries will take part in the ITF Group 2 Junior
Tennis Championship in Jakarta from Feb. 24 to March 2, the
organizing committee says.
The Jakarta ITF tennis meet was upgraded to a "Group Two"
meeting only this year after having been played as a "Group
Three" competition for 15 years.
The participating countries include Barbados, Britain, Chinese
Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, the
Philippines, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Thailand,
Uzbekistan and host Indonesia.
The tournament, to be held at the Kemayoran Tennis Courts in
Central Jakarta, will feature a total of 105 male and 61 female
players.
The main draw consists of 32 players apiece in the boys' and
girls' categories, four places of which will be fought out
through qualifications and another four awarded to wildcard
holders.
"We have granted one wildcard slot to Hong Kong and the
remaining seven will go to locals to be decided today," Enggal
Kerjono, the tournament director, told a press conference here on
Thursday.
The wildcard recipient from Hong Kong is Ronald Chow, who will
compete in the boys' category.
The high number of entries in the tournament has prompted the
organizers to hold a prequalifying stage on Feb. 23, which totals
70 players.
The top eight boys and four girls will be allowed to play in
the qualifying matches scheduled on Feb. 24 and 25.
Martina Wijaya, the chairwoman of the Indonesia's tennis
governing body Pelti, applauded the tournament's upgraded status,
saying it would spur the development of junior tennis in
Indonesia.
Sunu Wahyu Trijati, whose Cigna Open bid last week crashed in
the third round to eventual champion Febi Widhiyanto, is the only
Indonesian player to make the top ten seeds in the boys'
division.
He is seeded second behind Britain's Luke Campbell. Kiril
Tcherveniachki of New Zealand is third followed by the Thai duo
of Weerapat Doakmaiklee and Kirati Siributwong.
The girls' division sees local star, second-seed Sandy
Gumulya, the Cigna Open champion, behind Chan Yung-Jan of the
Chinese Taipei.
Maya Rosa, Cigna semifinalist, and Septi Mende are in fifth
and sixth place respectively behind Heesun Lyoo-suh of Korea and
Thassa Vitayaviroj of Thailand.