Pelti plans to introduce tennis league soon
Pelti plans to introduce tennis league soon
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Tennis Association will introduce
selection tournaments for players bidding to form the nucleus of
national teams for international events.
Director of the association's national team body Wimar
Witoelar told reporters on Wednesday that the program, to be held
every six months, would start early next month with the selection
of Davis Cup players, who are scheduled to travel to Taipei on
Sept. 27 for a crucial playoff.
The tennis body will select the top 10 players according to
the latest national rankings issued on March 31 and the six best
juniors between 15 and 20 for the selection tournaments, slated
to run from June 1 to June 6 at Senayan clay court.
The so-called tennis league will offer a reconciliation
between the tennis body and rebel player Benny Wijaya. The former
number one player, now ranked fourth, will be allowed to play in
the selection matches.
It is bizarre, however, that the tennis body has included
Justedjo Tarik, retired national champion, as a stand-in
contender. The former Asian Games gold medalist and Davis Cup
player in the 1970s and 1980s was placed 14th in the latest
national rankings.
"All players will have to confirm their participation by May
25. If necessary, I will talk to them myself," Wimar said.
The 16 players will be divided into four groups of four
players. After the round-robin matches, the winners will earn
themselves places in all international engagements within the
next six months. Group runners-up, meanwhile, will line up the
country's second team.
Wimar said that after six months, the eight top players will
take on the eight players ranked below them.
"We just want to foster a competitive atmosphere among players
throughout the country and encourage provincial tennis bodies and
clubs to groom their players more enthusiastically," Wimar said.
The selection matches for women's players will take place
after the Fed Cup match between Indonesia and Switzerland in
July.
Wimar also dismissed rumors that Indonesia's best players
would skip the Davis Cup outing in Taipei due to their provincial
duties in the National Games from Sept. 9 to Sept. 20.
"I just talked to the Games committee's deputy of competition
affairs about starting tennis competitions two days before the
opening ceremony. The players will have a week of rest prior to
the Davis Cup," said Eddy Katimansah, the association's foreign
affairs deputy.
Indonesia plays Taiwan after losing 1-4 to South Korea in
February and 0-5 to China in March. The loser will be relegated
to the Asia Oceania Group Two next season. (yan)