Hepatitis forces Edy out of Davis Cup play-off
Hepatitis forces Edy out of Davis Cup play-off
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's Davis Cup campaign against China
this week hit a last minute snag after doubles ace Eddy
Kusdaryanto tested positive for hepatitis A.
Eddy, whose partnership with Suwandi earned Indonesia a
consolation win against South Korea in February, will have to
take a two-week rest following the discovery last Friday and miss
the crucial matches, scheduled from Friday to Sunday at the
Senayan tennis stadium.
Deputy secretary of the Indonesian Tennis Association,
Subianto, said yesterday that the association's top-level
decision makers had agreed to sideline the 20-year-old player
from the team.
"We don't want to see Eddy's illness worsen," Subianto said.
Non-playing captain Wailan Walalangi said that Eddy's exit
will be confirmed before the draw on Thursday. Wailan added that
he was considering Sebastian da Costa as a potential substitute
for Eddy.
"There is no change in our team line-up despite the laboratory
finding. Sebastian is joining us as a stand-in if Eddy fails to
play," Wailan said.
Indonesia has named Suwandi, Andrian Raturandang, Donny
Susetyo and Eddy for this weekend's Davis Cup play-off. They
suffered a 1-4 drubbing by South Korea and now meet China, a 1-4
loser to New Zealand, for a place in next year's Asia-Oceania
zone qualifying round.
China arrived here on Sunday with a full team made up of two-
time Asian Games gold medalist Pan Bing, Xia Jiaping, Zhao Jinhua
and Lu Ling.
Eddy, who attended yesterday's training session as a
spectator, said that he has been infected with the disease since
he was a child. "I was easily exhausted during recent training
sessions, but I never complained," he said.
Subianto denied any possibility of a poor diet in Eddy's case.
"The doctor says that Eddy could suffer a relapse," he said.
Coach Deddy Prasetyo said last week that after four weeks of
training, his players are showing improved physical fitness.
The Chinese players yesterday got acquainted with the Senayan
clay court, the venue for the Davis Cup duel.
"We are not used to playing on clay, and the hot weather could
trouble us. Our chances of winning look 50-50," coach He Dongpo
said.
Pan led China to a 4-1 rout of Indonesia in their last Davis
Cup encounter in Beijing four years ago, but said he expected a
tough match this time. (amd)