Fujiwara up against Davenport
Bruce Emond, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Japan's Rika Fujiwara is probably hoping to celebrate her 24th birthday in style next Monday.
Standing in her way is the imposing presence of top seeded Lindsay Davenport, her second round opponent in the US$225,000 Wismilak International tennis tournament in Nusa Dua, Bali.
Fujiwara, ranked 93rd, battled to a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (5) win over South Africa's Natalie Grandin in the first round on Monday. But it will be a much tougher proposition against the 1.89 meter tall Californian in the next round.
Davenport, whose WTA ranking slipped to number two on Monday behind Maria Sharapova for the second time in a month, is almost unbeatable when she gets into the later rounds of a tournament, former top 20 player Yayuk Basuki said on Monday.
"The best hope for the players is to get her in the early rounds of a tournament, when she is still adjusting," Yayuk, who beat Davenport twice in their nine meetings, said in Jakarta.
Yayuk added that only second seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland presented a real threat to stop Davenport walking away with her 49th career title on Sunday.
"Patty is so talented, with such good hands and strokes, that she can win anything if she wants to," said the Indonesian.
With Davenport and Schnyder receiving byes and defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova pulling out due to injury, fourth seed Francesca Schiavone was the only top name in action on Monday.
She was taken to the limit by young American Jamea Jackson, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
National number two Wynne Prakusya, given a wildcard after number one Angelique Widjaja withdrew with a knee injury, will face qualifier Yan Zi for the first time.
Wynne, 24, is ranked 132 places below her opponent at 290, but has enjoyed a return to form in recent months.
If she overcomes Yan, Wynne would face another Chinese, Li Na, who beat her in their only encounter five years ago.
The world ranked 41st player was little tested in a 6-3, 6-1 defeat of clay-court specialist Nuria Llagestera Vives of Spain.