Indonesian aces have tough task in Aussie Open

Agencies, Jakarta

Indonesians Angelique 'Angie' Widjaja and Wynne Prakusya are braced for tough early matches in the Australian Open, which starts Monday.

Angie, a qualifier last year, is drawn against Japanese number one Ai Sugiyama, seeded 21st in the tournament, while Wynne is up against 12th seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland.

Despite playing a player ranked 24 in the world, Angie, ranked number 74, was quoted by Antara as saying that she was not in any way overawed by the Japanese woman's big name and pledged an all- out fight.

"I will fight. I don't fear losing. Whatever the result is I will be happy. What I will do is to do my utmost," Angie said on Friday, two days after she exited the second round of the Canberra Classic.

Twenty-eight-year-old Sugiyama has taken part in the Australian Open nine times. Her best performance was reaching the quarterfinals in 2000. Her highest world ranking was 15 in 1998.

Given the world rankings, Wynne's opponent should be even tougher. Patty is ranked number 15, compared to Wynne's 106.

Meanwhile in Sydney, Australia, Juan Carlos Ferrero recovered from losing an early break and dropping the opening set to storm into the final of the Sydney International tennis tournament here on Friday, AFP reported.

The Spanish world No.4, the only seed remaining in the tournament, powered home to down German Rainer Schuettler and win their semifinals match 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Ferrero will face Korean qualifier Lee Hyung-taik in Saturday's final. Lee outplayed South African Wayne Ferreira 6-3, 6-3.

Former world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport, interrupted by an hour's rain delay, brushed aside Russian Tatiana Panova, 6-3, 7-5.

Davenport, who missed the first half of last year after knee surgery, will play second seed Kim Clijsters in Saturday's women's final.

Clijsters needed five match points before she put away her Belgian compatriot and tournament third seed Justine Henin- Hardenne, 6-2, 6-3 in 79 minutes.

In Melbourne, Australia, a hometown Australian Open warm-up ended in defeat for Mark Philippoussis on Friday with a tight 6- 3, 6-7, 6-2 loss to Sebastien Grosjean, Reuters reported.

Grosjean will face Agassi in Saturday's final. On Thursday Agassi beat French 16-year-old Richard Gasquet in the first semifinals.

In Auckland, New Zealand, top seed Jiri Novak and Brazilian ace Gustavo Kuerten were confirmed Friday among the quarterfinalists in the New Zealand men's open tennis, after stormy weather delayed play over the past two days, AFP reported.

Novak of the Czech Republic will face Spaniard Felix Mantilla in what promises to be a battle of contrasting styles.

Meanwhile, David Ferrer of Spain and his quarterfinals opponent Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia are fired up and full of confidence, having disposed of the third and sixth seeds between them.

The last quarterfinals singles match will be between Mariano Zabaleta of Argentina and Austrian Stefan Koubek.

In Hobart, Australia, Jan 10 (AFP) - Alicia Molik broke an eight-year drought in Australian women's tennis here on Friday by capturing a WTA title, AFP reported.

The 21-year-old from Adelaide capped the greatest fortnight of her career by beating American second seed Amy Frazier 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the Tasmanian International Women's tennis tournament final.

In Canberra, Australia, Italian Francesca Schiavone bids for her first WTA title here on Saturday when she takes on second seeded American Meghann Shaughnessy in the final of the Canberra Women's Classic.

Schiavone advanced to the final on Friday after defeating French qualifier Marion Bartoli 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Shaughnessy ousted unseeded Frenchwoman Emilie Loit 6-1, 7-5 to give herself a chance to vie for her third WTA title.