RI aims to win Davis Cup tie with Malaysia

RI aims to win Davis Cup tie with Malaysia

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will have a great chance to defeat
host Malaysia by winning the doubles and singles matches in the
Group II of the Davis Cup Asia Oceania zone in Kuala Lumpur
starting Friday.

The Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) spokesman, Benny
Mailili, told The Jakarta Post after the drawing on Thursday that
national players must be able to overcome Malaysian contenders
who had no ATP rankings.

However, he said, Malaysia could create surprise through its
top player Selvam Veerasingam. Veerasingam was named as the
second player despite the fact that he was the best among others
in the previous Davis Cup tie against Iran in February when
Malaysia surprisingly won 3-2.

In the singles events Friday, Veerasingam will challenge
Indonesia's top player Febi Widhiyanto, whose ATP ranking is 771,
while Vasuthevan Ortchuan will play Indonesia's second player
Suwandi, ranked 795.

Indonesia's Bonit Wiryawan and Sulistyo Wibowo will face
Veerasingam and Mohd. Nazreen Fuzi on Saturday.

In the reversed singles matches Sunday, Febi will play
Ortchuan while Suwandi is to play Veerasingam.

"Bonit and Sulistyo are undefeated. There's no problem with
them," said Benny, who is also a tennis observer.

The appointment of both old hands had sparked controversy as
members of the previous Davis Cup team of Edy Kusdaryanto and
Hendri Susilo Pramono had to stand aside.

"In the singles event, our players must focus their attention
on Selvam, who won two singles matches and one doubles, in the
battle against Iran," Benny said.

"We have a greater opportunity than Malaysia to win the tie,
because our players are more experienced. They have competed in
many tournaments this year. While the Malaysia players have no
ATP ranks."

Benny said that Ortchuan would be the weakest player among the
others. Malaysia seemed to have developed a strategy to crush
Indonesia by naming Ortchuan as the first singles.

"The rule says the first singles must be they whose world or
national ranking is higher, but Malaysia is trying to take
advantage of our flaws by fielding Ortchuan in the first match."

Benny said Indonesia could win 3-2 if the players performed
poorly.

"If we tie 1-1 on the first day, we can win 4-1 or 3-2 with
poor performances on the next day. But if we can win 2-0 in the
first day, we can end up in 5-0 or 4-1," he said.

Indonesia was optimistic that it would be able to reach the
final of the Group II, given the powerless opponents from
Malaysia. The winner of the tie will face either Pakistan or
Chinese Taipei. (ivy)