Injured Prima focuses on SEA Games

JAKARTA: National number one tennis player Prima Simpatiaji has pulled out of warmup tournaments before next month's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games due to fears of aggravating thigh and abdominal injuries.

"I suffered the injuries last month but they got worse when I played in the Davis Cup against Thailand in late September," Prima said on Friday after a therapy session at the National Sports Council (KONI) building in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

Prima, who turns 24 on Sunday, said he would practice at Ragunan, South Jakarta, for the SEA Games in the Philippines.

"I don't want to risk my chance of playing in the SEA Games by playing beforehand in tournaments," said the lanky 1.8-meter tall from Tegal, Central Java.

In the 2004 National Games, Prima won silver after losing to Febi Widhianto of Jakarta in the final 6-7 (8), 4-6.

In the 2003 SEA Games, Febi won silver in the men's singles, but this year he will not participate in the regional event, reportedly due to a dispute with the Indonesian Tennis Association. -- JP