Indonesia labors to beat S. Korea
Indonesia labors to beat S. Korea
HIROSHIMA, Japan (Agencies): Yayuk Basuki led the Indonesian
women's team to overcome a spirited challenge from South Korea
with a 2-1 win here yesterday and earn a semifinal berth against
China in the Asian Games women's tennis tournament.
It took debutant Romana Tedjakusuma two hours and 19 minutes
to beat Choi Ju-yeon 7-6 (15-13), 6-2 in an exciting first match,
trading a series of long, grueling moonballs and hard-hit
baseline strokes on center court.
When Indonesia's number two Romana, finally won the tie-
breaker, saving four set points, one with a lucky net-cord, Li
Fang and Chen Li had already coasted to two easy singles
victories over Tajikistan and the Chinese were having their
pictures taken on the outside court.
World number 28 Yayuk, women's doubles and mixed doubles gold
medalist in Beijing four years ago, needed two-and-a-half hours
to beat Park Sung-hee 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-2 in the best-of-three
competition.
"I couldn't practice for two days before the match because of
a right wrist injury and I couldn't hit the ball accurately in
the first set. She is a great player, but I was all right in the
second and third sets," said Yayuk.
Romana, Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, said: "I'm very
happy, because this is my first Asian Games. This win is good for
me. I just played consistently and kept hanging there."
Having taken the winning 2-0 lead, a lackluster partnership of
Romana and Yayuk gave up 1-6, 0-6 to Choi and Park.
Chen, singles silver medalist in Beijing, trounced error-prone
Ioulia Roudkovskaia 6-0, 6-1 and Li smashed aside Elena
Memediaeva 6-1, 6-2 before Bi Ying and Yi Jingqian completed a 3-
0 scoreline against the same opponents in the doubles.
"Li Fang is a good player. She defeated (Japan's Kimiko) Date
in the Federation Cup in Frankfurt. It'll be a good match. I
think our chances are 50-50," said Indonesian coach Suharyadi,
who also Yayuk's husband.
Taiwan outclassed Thailand, with Weng Tzu-ting beating Suvimol
Duangchan 7-5, 6-2 and Wang Shi-ting overwhelming Tamarine
Tanasugarn 6-0, 6-1.
In the semifinals, Taiwan will take on top favorite Japan,
which took a first-round bye in the eight-draw women's team
event.
In the men's team competition, top four teams -- South Korea,
India, Japan and Indonesia -- received first-round byes, while
China, Taiwan, Uzbekistan won their contests.
China brushed aside Kuwait 3-0, Taiwan downed Iran 3-0, and
Uzbekistan outplayed Thailand 2-1.
Malaysia also went through to the men's team quarter-finals
when Ramachandran Ramaiah and Adam Malik won the decisive doubles
6-3, 6-4 against Sofronio Palahang and Joseph Lizardo of the
Philippines after drawing the two singles 1-1.