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)