Home favorites fall in 1st round

Home favorites fall in 1st round

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia waged a bleak campaign at the
US$300,000 Indonesia Men's Open tennis championships as its three
top players crashed to first-round defeats yesterday.

The home favorites, two of them wild-card entrants, fought
tooth and nail but were no match for their stronger opponents.

The fact that the country's most lucrative tennis event serves
local talent as a training ground for accumulating experience
somewhat softened the bitter slap in the face for the Indonesian
losers.

National number two Suwandi was the first to receive the tough
tennis lesson when he went down 6-7 (4-7), 2-6 to big serving
Canadian Greg Rusedski. Doubles ace Bonit Wiryawan followed in
the footstep of his countryman, losing to Martin Sinner of
Germany 4-6, 1-6. Indonesian Master champion Donny Susetyo sealed
yesterday's bitter fate with a 1-6, 3-6 defeat to Venezuelan
Nicolas Ferreira.

"I was beaten by big serves. I think we are in the same
league, except for those bomb-like serves," Suwandi, who suffered
his third opening-round defeat at the tournament, grumbled after
his match. Rusedski is among the current tennis powers, with
blasting serves that clock up to 220 kilometers per hour.

The Canadian world number 114 pulled out his characteristic
weapons to race to a 3-1 lead, but tallied too many unforced
errors to drop the sixth game. However, Suwandi remained in big
trouble with his service returns. He was left trailing behind
before losing the tie breaker.

Rusedski kept up the attack-minded play, pinning Suwandi on
his baseline. Suwandi, who struggled at the back court, slowed
down the pace with his overhead lobs. But towering Rusedski used
every smashing chance to flawlessly seal the match.

The Canadian, who takes on Rodolphe Gilbert of France in
tomorrow's second round, gave his lowly wild-card opponent a
little bit of encouragement. "He's very talented. His backhand
drives and ground strokes are great," Rusedski said.

Another wild-card entrant Donny could not cope with his
nerves, making unnecessary mistakes to face ultimate demolition
by Ferreira. The Venezuelan world number 116 will race for a
third round berth against Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark, who edged
out Australian doubles wizard David Adams 6-3, 6-2.

Bonit, who qualified for the main draw by beating Ronald
Agenor of Haiti, was another victim of power play orchestrated by
his German rival. Serve and volleyer Sinner was troubled only a
little bit in the opening set. He made a short work of his
opponent in the second.

Indonesia is now banking on its number one Benny Wijaya. The
world number 279 wild-card entrant meets fourth seed Markus
Zoecke of Germany today. Benny reached the third round last year
with a surprising victory over Russian Andrei Olhovskiy, who is
seeded eighth this year. (amd)