ITF helps Indonesia host junior tourney

JAKARTA (JP): The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has poured in US$30,000 to enable Indonesia to stage the World Junior Asia/Oceania qualifying tournament for the second successive year next week.

Tournament coordinator Mansyur Djabir admitted yesterday that Indonesia would have been unable to host the international event without a sponsor.

Mansyur said the ITF opted to give the country another opportunity to host the event after its successful organization last year.

"It's an honor that the ITF considers last year's tournament here was a big success."

He said the world tennis body would cover all expenses for the May 4-May 10 event. Most of the funds will be spent on athletes' accommodation.

A total of 27 national squads -- 14 of them boys teams -- will vie for three World Junior Championships berths available for both sexes. The world meet will be in Nagoya, Japan, next August.

Each team will be made up of two singles players and a doubles team.

The week-long tournament will be played at the Senayan tennis complex in order to save money, according to Mansyur.

"We have cut our budget a lot by using our own tennis courts," he said. The decision to hold the tournament on clay has been approved by the ITF.

Host Indonesia will field Angeliqua Wijaya, Novianti Warsono, and Diana Julianto -- all from West Java -- in the girls' event, while Eko Kurniawan, Naharudin and Fandi Suyadi will form the national boys' team.

National coach Deddy Prasetyo has been named the nonplaying captain for the boys' team and Alfred Raturandang for the girls.

The Indonesian girls' team, also spearheaded by the West Java duo of Angeliqua and Novianti, qualified for the world championships in Tokyo last year, after finishing third behind Australia and South Korea.

Their male counterparts managed only fifth. Australia also won the boys' event after beating New Zealand in the final. India came third.

Mansyur said the Indonesian Tennis Association expected its teams to at least repeat their achievements of last year.

"The chance of success is unpredictable because although we think we've been improved, we never know how far our rivals have progressed," he said. (emf)