'No choice but to beat Chinese Taipei'

'No choice but to beat Chinese Taipei'

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has no choice but beating Chinese
Taipei in their Davis Cup playoff matches at home at the end of
March.

"A loss will cost us a lot of time as well as money," Sarwono
Kusumaatmadja, new chairman of the Indonesian Tennis Association
(Pelti), said during a fast break gathering yesterday.

Yesterday's gathering also marked the official transfer of
Pelti's helm from Cosmas Batubara to Sarwono, who is also
Minister of Environment.

The losing side of the five best-of-five matches next month
faces relegation from the Asia Oceania Group. But the most
embarrassing consequence is that players of the losing team will
not be allowed to enter professional tournaments.

"Whoever our opponent, the playoff tie is a do-or-die one,"
Sarwono warned.

Indonesia will host Chinese Taipei at the Senayan tennis
complex. Indonesia was blanked 0-5 by arch rival South Korea in
their first-round zonal matches in Seoul last month. At the same
time, Chinese Taipei suffered the same trouncing by Japan.

Indonesia's number one Benny Wijaya skipped the Davis Cup duel
against South Korea due to his career commitment with a Taiwanese
club which tied him for a three-year deal.

Sarwono has named Wailan Walalangi the national team captain
for the playoff matches. Wailan, the Indonesian Davis Cup non-
playing captain for the past two years, indicated that he would
give his young guns who made an abortive campaign in Seoul
another chance to don the national colors next month.

Wailan is also responsible to form a team for the Federation
Cup Group One first round battle against top seed Argentina at
home on April 22-23.

Indonesia ended its dreams of making its first appearance in
the World Group of the women's team competition in Frankfurt last
year when a Yayuk Basuki-led team was crushed 0-3 by Bulgaria in
their second-round matches.

Yayuk looks set to spearhead the national team against the
Argentineans who will field its top flights led by world number
seven Gabriela Sabatini.

In its new form, the four first-round losers in the World
Group will face the four first-round winners of Group One to
decide the composition of the 1996 World Group.

Similarly the four first-round losers in Group One will play
the four winners of the regional qualifying to decide which plays
in Group One the following year. (amd)