Navratilova gives Yayuk tennis lesson
Navratilova gives Yayuk tennis lesson
JAKARTA (JP): World top tennis players differ from other players in the way they avoid making too many unnecessary mistakes during their games.
This rule of thumb ruled when just retired Martina Navratilova played the home crowd's darling Yayuk Basuki in an exhibition match at the Senayan indoor tennis stadium yesterday.
Navratilova, who reigned over women's tennis for a record seven years in the 1980s, could have stream rolled erratic Yayuk if she had wanted to. The 38-year-old living legend of tennis, took the 5-3 lead after breaking her serve and then serving for a win, before leaving the court with a 6-1, 7-5 victory.
When journalists asked the Czech-born American rejected any possibility of "match-fixing" or "not playing seriously".
"Of course I want to win the game, but I don't want to win it 6-0, 6-0. It couldn't be easier as Yayuk served better in the second set," Navratilova said.
"Matches are not won with good strokes or winners only, but also the number of unforced errors a player commits," she said in criticism of Yayuk's performance.
Performance wise, the former world number one did everything right. She hit every corner of Yayuk's baseline with her sharp cross court backhand flicks, dazzling passing shots and powerful forehand strokes.
Yayuk was caught on the wrong foot frequently as Navratilova displayed masterful volleys.
The Indonesian, who lost to her American opponent in all of their four previous meetings, looked nervous during the one hour and five minutes of play. She blasted five aces but double faulted five times.
In a contrasting style, Navratilova, who wore her favorite shorts, gave no trace of being under pressure. So relaxed was she that she sealed the opening set in 25 minutes.
Navratilova, who clearly received the most cheers from the crowd of 2,000, kept the pace in the second to go 5-3 up. Yayuk's devastating forehand saved a match point and helped the Indonesian break Navratilova's serve for the first time.
But Navratilova regained her rhythm to inflict Yayuk's fourth broken serve, before winning her own game.
"Yayuk is a talented player, but she is limited by her size," Navratilova said.
Indonesia Open
Earlier yesterday, Romana Tedjakusuma joined the second round upset at the Indonesia Women's Open as top seed Sabine Hack won the all-German battle against Maja Zivec-Skulj.
Indonesia's number two Romana lost her composure which forced her to make too many errors in her 6-7 (2-7), 4-6 defeat to lucky Ei Iida of Japan. The Japanese entered the main draw in place of Austrian ninth seed Beate Reinstadler who pulled out of the tournament due to a stomach upset.
Iida is hoping to humiliate the home crowd yet again as she plays second seed and defending champion Yayuk in today's third round.
Third seed Ann Grossman of the U.S. became the most precious casualty when the 1993 runner-up crashed to Tina Krizan of Slovakia 6-4, 0-6, 0-6. Casualties continued as German eighth seed Elena Wagner, winner of two major tournaments here last year, gave up 4-6, 3-6 to Jana Nejedly of Canada.
World number 19 Hack had a little trouble in the struggle with Zivec-Skulj 6-4, 6-3 for a third round berth of the US$161,000 championships.(amd)