Indonesia, China tied in Davis Cup

JAKARTA (JP): Peter Handoyo relished a winning start to his Davis Cup career as Indonesia drew level 1-1 with China in their Asia-Oceania relegation play-off match at the Kemayoran Hardcourt, Central Jakarta, on Friday.

Peter gave Indonesia a shock 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over Chinese number one player, Zhang Yu. The visitors pulled an equalizer through Zhu Ben-Qiang, who beat Suwandi 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a match that lasted over three hours.

The results mean that the tie will be decided on Sunday, when the singles players of the two teams swap opponents. Saturday contests the doubles match.

Ranked far below his opponent and considered to have no enough international tournaments, 22-year-old Peter battled his way to turn the tables.

"This is the first time I have played in the Davis Cup. I did not expect too much from the match, because I feared it would weigh too heavily on me," Peter told a post-tournament conference.

"I was determined I had to focus on may play. I had to play the best I could."

The match proved that Zhang was not as tough as expected. Peter had an easy game en route to taking the first set, breaking Zhang's serves twice in the process.

Zhu fought back in the second set, but Peter recovered in the following sets. He looked to have worn down the Chinese's stamina while the Indonesian conceded only a single game to seal the set and match.

Unlike the first singles match, the Suwandi-Zhu game provided a close encounter between two players of different styles early from the start. Both exchanged points throughout the first set which the serve-volleyer Chinese won in a tiebreaker.

But the tussle suddenly swung to a one-sided affair with Zhu becoming a lame duck opponent and letting Suwandi almost take full command.

Suwandi was 1-2 down early before taking all the remaining games for 6-2 in the second set and 6-0 in the third.

However, he was caught out by his own lapses in the deciding set.

The result could have been irritating. But Suwandi had an excuse for the defeat given his confession ahead of the tournament that he had been nursing an abdominal injury he sustained during his performance at the just-concluded SEA Games.

Yet, when asked whether his injury did impede his game, the 25-year-old did not commit himself. He stalled a few seconds before saying:" I said before I had been injured. But I'm committed to the team."

Tintus Arianto Wibowo, the non-playing captain, offered his own explanation for Suwandi's decline in the final two sets.

"Suwandi slipped up after making a love game in the third set. He entered the fourth only to have his serves broken early.

"He played too safe. He should have challenged his opponent more boldly. He should have dared to take risks," Tintus said about his protege.

Meanwhile, Zhu Ben-Qiang admitted to being affected by the searing heat.

"The weather is too hot and I had some problems in making serves," he said about his initial sets through an interpreter.

Saturday's match, which is scheduled for 2 p.m., will pit Bonit Wiryawan/Sulistyo Wibowo against Li Si/Yang Jing Zhu. (01)