Pelti aiming for four golds in SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) is eying four of seven golds at stake in the 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur in September.

"We are optimistic that we can grab four golds in the Games. If Yayuk Basuki confirms her participation, we will be more certain of our chances," Pelti official in charge of athletes development Sudjiono Timan said on Wednesday.

Yayuk, the 1998 Asian Games gold medalist, missed the 1999 Games in Brunei Darussalam due to her pregnancy.

Pelti chairman Tanri Abeng did not say if he would field Yayuk in the event.

Sudjiono said the women's team members would include Wynne Prakusya and Romana Tedjakusuma while the men's team would include Indonesia's no. 1 player Suwandhi.

"Wynne is expected to enter the world's top 100 this year. While Suwandhi ranks in the 400s. Suwandhi has promised himself to break into the world's top 200 by the end of this year."

"It's not difficult for him to accomplish it and I hope he can contribute one gold in the men's singles at the 2001 SEA Games," Sudjiono said.

Tanri predicted that Indonesia would earn gold mostly from the women's events.

"We have high hopes in the women's singles, men's and women's doubles and the women's team event. I think winning four golds is a realistic goal," he said.

Indonesia won two of seven golds in the 1999 Games in Brunei Darussalam. Duo Wynne and Romana won one gold in the doubles event and they joined teammates Liza Andriyani and Wukirasih Sawondari in taking the team's title.

The national tennis players also won three silver and five bronze medals in the men's doubles, mixed doubles, women's singles and women's doubles.

Pelti has invited 16 men and women players to join the Games training program. The women's list includes Yayuk, Romana, Liza, Wynne, Wukirasih, Angelique Wijaya, Dea Sumantri and Frederika Girsang, while the men's candidates are Suwandhi, Andrian Raturandang, Hendri Susilo Pramono, Febi Widhiyanto, Peter Handoyo, Eko Kurniawan and veteran doubles players Bonit Wiryawan and Sulistyo Wibowo.

Speaking on the Davis Cup, Sudjiono said Indonesia must enter the Group I Asia Oceania zone this year. The team comprising Suwandhi, Hendri, Bonit and Sulistyo will meet Uzbekistan, champion of Group I, in the playoff here from Feb. 9 to Feb. 11.

"In the first singles, Suwandhi is quite solid, so we are not afraid in facing Uzbekistan," he said.

Regarding the Fed Cup team, he said the Indonesian women's team should fight for the Asian top spot. Indonesia is in Group I.

"It depends on Yayuk. If she joins the team, we may be able to fight until the final. But if we only field Wynne and other junior players, we might only be among the Asian top eight." (ivy)