Motomura upsets RI, brings Japan to 3-2 win in Davis Cup
Zakki Hakim and M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Gouichi Motomura showed the meaning of perseverance when he upset Prima Simpatiaji 5-7, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3, and scored a 3-2 win for Japan against Indonesia here on Sunday in the first round of the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I tie.
Motomura was behind two sets to love before he slowly overtook Prima in the third set and radically changed the atmosphere at the Bung Karno Tennis Open Stadium, Central Jakarta.
"I was playing against myself," said the 30-year-old Japanese.
Motomura said he simply could not concentrate during the first two sets, due to the cheering crowd and humidity.
Some 1,000 home fans at the stadium were sure that Indonesia would defeat Japan, with 22-year old Prima showing a superb opening play, dominating Motomura and racing ahead with a two- love lead, during which he hit at least 10 aces.
Motomura's turning point came in the third set, when he broke Prima in the fifth game with 3-2, then went on to take two straight games at a 5-2 lead, before leaving the Indonesian in the dust with 6-4.
In that critical set, Japan's non-playing captain Jun Kamiwazumi told Motomura not to think about winning and instead, try to steal the pace of the game from Prima.
"I freed myself and took the captain's suggestion to make Prima run from corner to corner to wear him out, even when I was not in the right position," he said.
During that set, Prima lost his touch and Motomura took control of the match until the end, silencing the home crowd to his advantage.
Prima said he was relaxed in the first two sets, but nerves got him in the third set. "It became worse when Motomura changed his style. My feet got heavy," he said, apologizing for the loss.
Indonesia's non-playing captain Tintus Arianto Wibowo said he admired Motomura for his ability to rise from such a disadvantage, and that the Japanese was a good example for local players.
Earlier in the day, the mood was on the home side when Indonesian No. 1 Febi Widhiyanto was declared the winner after Takahiro Terachi, a last-minute substitute for injured Takao Suzuki, tore a muscle in his right wrist during the eighth game of the second set and could not continue play in Sunday's first reverse singles match.
The match ended with Febi leading 7-5, 3-4, which gave Indonesia a 2-2 draw, reviving a chance for the host team to win the Davis Cup tie.
Indonesia had ended Saturday with 1-2 when Terachi, paired with world No. 74 Thomas Shimada, crushed host pair Suwandi/Hendri Susilo Pramono 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1.
Despite its defeat by Japan, Indonesia can keep its spot in Group I next year if it defeats New Zealand in the second-round play offs from April 9 to April 11.