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)