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)