Official urges Bonit/Sulistyo for Davis Cup team
Official urges Bonit/Sulistyo for Davis Cup team
JAKARTA (JP): Tennis observer Benny Mailili suggested the
Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) list the veteran doubles
pair of Bonit Wiryawan and Sulistyo Wibowo on the Davis Cup team
should Indonesia win the second match of the Asia Oceania Zone
Group II against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur next month.
Benny said Pelti would probably not invite Bonit and Sulistyo
to fight Malaysia, because the match concentrates on the skills
of national junior pairs.
"I think Pelti would not dismiss the possibility of including
Bonit and Sulistyo in the Davis Cup team lineup. But they will
likely be invited if our team wins the second round match against
Malaysia.
"Their roles will be important because we will be fighting for
a berth in Group I. We will have enough time for preparation
before the decisive match which will be held from Oct. 6 to Oct.
8," said Benny, who is also the Pelti spokesman.
Bonit and Sulistyo recently won the men's Futures-1, defeating
junior Edy Kusdaryanto and Hendri Susilo Pramono in the final at
Kemayoran Tennis Center here. However, they bowed out to
Frantisek Cermak of Czech Republic and Roman Kukal of Slovakia 1-
6, 4-6 in the final match of the Futures-2 on Sunday.
Indonesia reached the second round of the Davis Cup after
defeating the Philippines 4-1 in Manila on Feb. 6.
The team, consisting of Suwandi, Febi Widhiyanto, Hendri and
Edy, will face Malaysia from April 7 to April 9. The winner of
the match will then face either Pakistan or Chinese Taipei.
Benny said Indonesia would have no difficulties in overcoming
Malaysia.
"I think our junior players can still crush Malaysia. We
always won our past encounters with the host players, although
they boasted mighty double players," he said.
He also announced Suwandi would compete in a US$15,000 men's
Futures in Japan on Friday. "He will undergo training before the
next Davis Cup match and at the same time improve his world
ranking from 800," he said.
Benny also called on Pelti to stage 20 tennis tournaments
annually to improve national athletes' performances.
"If Pelti wants its players to reign in the international
events which are staged here, the association should send its
players regularly to compete in overseas tournaments," he said.
"Based on research by ITF in the past 15 years, a player could
achieve his or her best if he or she competed in 20 tournaments
annually," he said.
He said Indonesia's tennis legend Yayuk Basuki could enter the
world's top 20 because she used to compete in 15 overseas
tournaments each year.
"There are only six women's satellite tournaments in
Indonesia, so our women players should fight in another 14
tournaments abroad. Who will be responsible for funding these
players? Sponsors can pay for all the transportation and
accommodation, or they can share with Pelti officials," he said.
(ivy)