Indonesia fired up for Uzbekistan tie despite the odds
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesia is confident of disproving the form book when it takes on the higher ranked players of Uzbekistan in the first round of the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group I.
The host side has the advantage of playing on the hard court at Senayan, Central Jakarta, for the tie beginning on Friday, but the head-to-head record and player rankings heavily favor the visitors.
Uzbekistan nipped Indonesia 3-2 in Jakarta in 2001 and by the same score in Tashkent in 2003.
The Indonesian quartet's ATP Tour rankings -- Suwandi (820), Prima Simpatiaji (842), Bonit Wiryawan (1240) and Sunu Wahyu Trijati (1306) -- average a lowly 1,027 compared to their opponents' 678.
The Uzbeks are Vadim Kutsenko (276), Murad Inoyatov (488), Denis Isotomin (678) and Farrukh Dustov (1280), with Petr Lebed the nonplaying captain.
However, Indonesian captain Tintus Arianto Wibowo dismissed the unfavorable odds on Tuesday, saying that the action on the court would decide the winner.
"We shouldn't be overawed by their rankings. You mention Vadim as a threat?...Well, Suwandi has a record of beating him in the past and last year Prima also defeated him in Tashkent," Tintus said during an event announcing PT Bimantara Citra as the Davis Cup team's official partner for 2005."
He added that encouragement from the home crowd would be important.
"We need support from local fans."
Tintus said the team, all of whom were present at the conference, had prepared a "master game plan" for the tie with the help of former player and coach Bill Tym.
"Bill is working with us as a consultant. He has helped us with tactics and strategy.
"The players have high self-confidence now with Bill with us. With our game plan, the players are ready for the match."
Tintus said the 75-year-old American -- a former top collegiate player for the University of Florida and a tour player in the 1960s -- also helped the Indonesian Davis Cup team qualify for the elite World Group in 1982. Indonesia lost to Sweden in the first round.
Prima, who beat Sunu to win the Cigna Open here last week, said Tym was helping him vary his shots.
"We have been going through drills with Bill for the past two weeks."
Prima defeated Kutsenko in three sets during an International Futures Tournament in Tashkent, but remembered that it was a difficult encounter.
"He is sort of a tough player. Every point was closely fought," he said of their only meeting.
The draw will be held on Wednesday, with Friday's opening match scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.
The other ties in the group this weekend are Pakistan v Thailand, Chinese Taipei v Japan and India v China.