RI assures a place in men's doubles final

RI assures a place in men's doubles final

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia booked a ticket in the men's doubles
final of the US$10,000 Future-3 tennis tournament here on
Wednesday.

Fourth seeded team of Hendri Susilo Pramono and Febi
Widhiyanto beat compatriots Eko Kurniawan and Edy Kusdaryanto 7-
5, 6-2 in Wednesday's second round to set up an all-Indonesian
semifinal against the pairing of Andrian Raturandang and Suwandi,
who fought tooth and nail to upset South African second seeds Rik
De Voest and Johan Du Randt 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4 in another second
round game.

Indonesia could hope for another place in Friday's semifinals
if its ace doubles team of Bonit Wiryawan and Sulistyo Wibowo
perform well in their second round match on Thursday.

In the women's category, six Indonesian singles players
cruised safely to the second round.

Seeded fourth Wukirasih Sawondari outclassed lucky loser
Michelle Grobby of Australia 6-4, 6-2 and will now face her
junior, also a lucky loser, Suci Bungaran, who beat Japan's Ayako
Suzuki 6-2, 7-6.

Angelique Widjaja had no difficulties in beating her junior
Farida Agustina 6-1, 6-0. In the second round, Angelique will
challenge Choi Jin-young of South Korea, who hardly broke a sweat
in overcoming Wang I-ting of Chinese Taipei 6-3, 6-0.

Liza Andriyani reached the second round in another one-sided
match, drubbing Debbie Larocque of Canada 6-0, 6-0. Liza will
meet ninth seed Akiko Gunji of Japan, who came back from a set
down to beat Suchanan Viratprasert of Thailand 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Another Indonesian player Mimma Chernovita produced one of the
upsets of the day, knocking out the 16th seeded Akiko Kinebuchi
6-7 (8-7), 6-1, 7-6 (7-2). Mimma is hoping to continue her giant
killing run on Thursday when she plays seeded 2nd Sachie Umehara
of Japan, who outgunned Indonesia's Frederika Girsang 6-1, 6-3.

Lucky loser Dewi Monika Siregar sprang another surprise when
she beat her senior Dian Anggraeni 6-4, 6-5. Siregar will play
Orawan Wongkamalasai of Thailand who beat Indonesian Novianti
Warsono 6-1, 7-5.

Indonesia's best hopes in the men's event, Yusmawan Fahmi and
Suwandi, tumbled in the first hurdles.

Yusmawan gave up to seeded 8th Leigh Holland of Australia 2-6,
0-6 while Suwandi lost to seeded three Per Thornadtsson of Sweden
4-6, 4-6.

Holland will face top seed Danai Udomchoke of Thailand who
beat Le Minh of the United States 6-2, 7-5. And Thornadtsson will
face Japanese Tasuku Iwami, who defeated South Korean Lee Seung-
hun 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-4. (ivy)