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)