Indonesia challenges Taipei for Group One promotion
Indonesia challenges Taipei for Group One promotion
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will meet China Taipei in the final of
the Group Two Davis Cup Asia Oceania zone in a battle for a
promotion to Group One in October.
Indonesia crushed Malaysia's dream of a place in the final
berth on Sunday with a 5-0 win in the Davis Cup tie at the
National Tennis Center in Kuala Lumpur.
AFP reported that China Taipei outshone Pakistan 3-2 in the
other Group Two match in Taichung, Taipei.
In 1998, Indonesia was bitterly relegated to Group Two after a
5-0 drubbing by China in the Asia Oceania Group one second
playoff. Indonesia was twice moved to the verge of the World
Group in the 1980s.
On Sunday, Indonesia's first singles player Febi Widhiyanto
beat Malaysian junior player M. Nazreen Fuzi 6-0, 6-1, while
Suwandi defeated another Malaysian junior, Adam Jaya, 6-1, 6-1 in
the singles matches.
Coach Deddy Prasetyo said he was satisfied with his players'
performances, saying that the Malaysian players were no match for
Febi and Suwandi.
"Febi was too quick to end the game and it cost him one point.
When he was leading 5-0 in the sixth set of the second game, his
return service was quickly smashed by Nazreen because the ball
was floating. Febi was at that time leading 40-30," he said.
"Febi was slightly provoked by the Indonesian spectators here
who shouted 'zero ... zero'," he told The Jakarta Post in a
telephone interview.
Deddy also said that Adam, who was fielded by Malaysia in the
last minute, was unable to return Suwandi's powerful service.
In Friday's openers, Suwandi beat Vasuthevan Ortchuan 6-2, 6-
2, 6-3 and Febi edged out Selvam Veerasingam 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. The
success story continued the following day as veteran doubles
players Bonit Wiryawan and Sulistyo Wibowo thrashed Malaysian duo
Veerasingam and Fuzi 6-4, 6-2, 6-1.
In Taipei, Lin Ping-chao overcome Aisam-ul-Haq-Qureshi of
Pakistan 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 while teammate Tsai Chia-yen
outclassed Asim Shafik 6-0, 6-3, 6-3.
Deddy said that Indonesia should make extra preparations prior
to its clash with Taipei considering the presence of Lin Ping-
chao, formerly known as Benny Wijaya of Indonesia.
He said Lin might be too powerful for Indonesian players
because he was more experienced. He said Lin frequently competed
in challengers and ATP tours matches while Indonesian players
could only manage to compete in Futures.
"Lin has been appointed as the head coach. He's the best
player in his current team."
"If we want to win the final, we have to make serious efforts
in our preparations. The Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti)
may hire a foreign tennis consultant or even a foreign coach. Our
players cannot fight in international tournaments above the
Futures. We can't even dominate in Southeast Asia," he said.(ivy)