ITF helps Indonesia host junior tourney

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)