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.