Indonesia fields top players in tennis mixed doubles

Indonesia fields top players in tennis mixed doubles

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (JP): The victory-hungry Indonesian tennis
team pledged not to waste any opportunities to win a gold medal
at the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games here, combining its top
players for the less heralded mixed doubles event.

National coach Suharyadi said during a practice session at the
Hassanal Bolkiah Sports Complex on Friday that he would pair
men's singles ace Suwandi with defending women's singles champion
Wukirasih Sawondari, and Hendri Susilo Pramono with Liza
Andriyani.

"We just want to create a fair division of labor for the
players to prevent them from bearing too heavy a burden," former
Asian Games gold medalist Suharyadi said.

He said Liza and Wukirasih had proven their prowess in the
mixed doubles and could easily match their male partners during
practice.

Wukirasih and Liza will also join forces as a doubles pairing
in the individual and team events.

"I believe we have a great chance of taking the mixed doubles
gold medal. I promise to make amends for the loss I conceded two
years ago," Liza said.

Liza partnered her brother Sulistyo Wibowo in the last SEA
Games in Jakarta.

Other women's players, Wynne Prakusya and Romana Tedjakusuma,
will play singles and doubles in both the individual and team
events.

Indonesia is banking on Wynne, ranked somewhere in the 200s in
the world, to win the gold in the women's singles, while
Wukirasih intends to serve as a spoiler for her foreign rivals.
Wukirasih emerged an unlikely winner two years ago, upsetting top
seed and world number 37 Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand in the
final of the women's singles.

Tamarine and Thailand's second-best player, Benjamas Sangaram,
are absent from this year's SEA Games, instead focusing their
attention on improving their world rankings.

The absence of the Thai pair looks certain to boost
Indonesia's chances of retaining the women's team and women's
singles titles, as well as reclaiming the women's doubles title.

The Indonesian women's most potent challenge will come from
their Philippine and Malaysian opponents.

In the men's section, Indonesia will rely on Suwandi and Febi
Widhiyanto in the singles. In the doubles, the team of Febi and
Hendri is looking to grab the gold.

National men's team coach Tintus Arianto Wibowo said if Febi
failed the fitness test and could not play both events, he could
be replaced by Yusmawan Fahmi in the doubles.

Tintus said his squad, seeded behind defending champion
Thailand, had a small chance of winning gold medals in both the
team and individual events.

"We've set a realistic target of taking revenge for our defeat
to the Philippines in the Davis Cup competition," Tintus said.
The loss came in February this year.

In the individual event, 1993 SEA Games gold medalist Suwandi
is vowing to return to his winning ways, despite a tough
challenge from Thailand's defending champion Paradorn Srichaphan.

Paradorn will also partner brother Narathon in the men's
doubles. The 1998 Asian Games winners will be Indonesia's main
obstacle to retaining the doubles gold, won by Bonit Wiryawan and
Sulistyo Wibowo at the 1997 SEA Games.

The Thai team will also feature Vittaya Samrej and Danai
Udomchoke.

The tennis team events will begin on Sunday. (yan)