RI assured of final place in tennis tourney finals

Zakki Hakim , The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian players have been assured of a place in the finals at in the second series of the US$10,000 Indonesia Women's Circuit with the hosts taking all four places in the bottom half of the quarterfinal bracket after Wednesday's second-round matches at the Hilton tennis courts.

Wukirasih Sawondari, Septi Mende, Liza Andriyani and Sandy Gumulya all cruised to the quarterfinals with Wukirasih to take on Septi and Liza to face Sandy.

Whoever wins their matches will fight in the all-Indonesian semifinal match.

The local hopes still have another player in the quarterfinal with Ayu Fani Damayanti the only Indonesian in the top half. Ayu will face Montinee Tangphong of Thailand and Wilawan Choptang of Thailand will challenge top seed and last week's winner Sania Mirza of India in the quarterfinals.

On Wednesday, eighth seed Liza crushed Pichittra Thongdach of Thailand 6-0, 6-3, while Indonesian favorite Sandy breezed past Indian Shruti Dhawan 6-2, 6-4. Wukirasih booked her quarterfinal ticket by dispatching compatriot Mimma Chernovita 6-2, 6-3.

Septi overcame second set jitters to stunningly knock out fourth seed Wang I-Ting of Chinese Taipei 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Septi sent speedy drives throughout the games and closed the match with a couple of aces. She said that her play had significantly improved over since last weekend.

"After a week, it seemed that I have found the right rhythm in playing with fast balls," she told reporters after her match.

Meanwhile, in the top half, top seed Mirza was still unstoppable with the latest victim being Eny Sulistyowati 6-1, 6- 1 and seventh seed Choptang sent Nadine Hassinger of Germany packing without having to continue the game after winning the first set 6-1.

Choptang led by 2-1 in the second set before her German opponent limped off due to a thigh injury.

Choptang's compatriot Tangphong defeated Indonesian Diana Julianto 7-5, 7-5, while Ayu brushed aside teammate Maya Rosa 6- 4, 7-6(7/4).

Maya said that she lost her patience in confronting Ayu's volleys, and became reckless in the returns.

In the doubles, top seed Sania Mirza/Rushmi Chakravarthi of India advanced to second round after beating Thailand's Chattida Thimjapo/Varanya Vijuksanaboon 6-1, 6-2.

The Indian pair march was followed by second seed Choptang/Dhawan who defeated Ayu/Febri Joana of Indonesia 6-4, 6- 4, and fourth seed Liza Andriyani/Diana Julianto, who crushed Montinee Tangphong/Thassha Vitayaviroj of Thailand 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.

However, third seeds Naoko Horikawa (Japan)/Wang I-Ting (Chinese Taipei) failed to advanced after they were stopped by Denise Harijanto (Indonesia)/ Pichittra Thongdach (Thailand) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2.