Girls tennis team delay the winning streak

Girls tennis team delay the winning streak

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's junior girls team is still far away
from winning the world group final round of the NEC World Youth
Cup in Hiroshima, Japan, after a 1-2 loss to South Korea in the
second round of the Asia/Oceania zone's qualifying here Saturday.

The defeat will likely put more pressure on the team,
consisting of Novianti Warsono, Angelique Widjaja and Diana Nur
Fatimah as they have to fight China in Sunday's final to win
third place.

China lost to Chinese Taipei 1-2 in a war-between-sisters at
Senayan tennis court on Saturday.

Sunday's final of the girls event will pit Chinese Taipei
against South Korea.

Three winners from the qualifying round will take part in the
world group final round.

In the first singles match, Novianti failed to overcome Lee
Bit-na and lost 3-6, 6-3, 0-6. Novi's teammate Angelique Widjaja
could not take revenge to earn one point. She bowed out to Kim
Hea-mi 3-6, 6-7 (3-7).

However, Indonesia earned one point in the doubles event after
South Korean pair Hong Da-jung and Kim retired following a 5-2
lead over Indonesia, which is top seeded in this round.

In the boys event, Indonesia will face Malaysia in the final
round of the consolation match on Sunday to decide the ninth rank
team.

Indonesian team players Eko Kurniawan, Naharudin and Harris
Ernanda Tedjokusumo managed to beat Uzbekistan 3-0 on Saturday.

Uzbekistan will fight Pakistan, which lost to Malaysia 0-3, on
Sunday to decide the 11th rank.

Chinese Taipei boys, top seeded in this event, also shined
bright.

The team, consisting of Wang Yeu-tzuoo, Hsieh Wang-cheng and
Wu Yi-cheng, will play the Australian team to decide the champion
and the runner-ups of this qualifying round.

China will face Hong Kong in the final to decide the third
rank.(ivy)