RI Davis Cup team announced for Kiwi tie
RI Davis Cup team announced for Kiwi tie
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Tennis Association announced the
national team yesterday for next the Davis Cup tie to be held
here from April 4 to April 6.
Wimar Witoelar, the chairman of the National Team Board, said
Bonit Wiryawan, Sulistyo Wibowo, Suwandi and Andrian Raturandang
would make up the team.
Indonesia will face New Zealand in the tie at the Senayan
clay-court stadium.
"This team is the same one that beat the Philippines in
February," he said.
Indonesia beat the Philippines 3-2 in Manila.
Wimar said Andrian, who was suspended from the national
training program for a week early this month because of
undisciplined behavior, had showed a great change of attitude.
Andrian has also had to recover after dehydrating at the last
Davis Cup tie.
"Andrian has apologized to the association and his performance
is improving. He performs the best in training," he said.
Wimar said the team would hopefully have a medical checkup
Monday.
"Technically, we don't know his physical condition. But based
on the coaches' reports, Andrian's (fitness) is the best among
his teammates," he said.
Coach Wailan Walalangi said Andrian had to get back on the
team.
"The suspension did not let him down because it motivated him
to increase his performance. Andrian is still the best of our
players based on national rankings," he said.
Team manager Atet Wijono said several Australian players were
due to arrive here next week to play training matches against the
Davis Cup team.
"We expect two to four Australian players to be our sparing
partners. We hope they will arrive on Monday," he said.
"If there's no confirmation on their arrival, we will have to
cancel the tryouts," he added.
The Australians, whose trips are being sponsored by local
businessman Mukitan of PT Roda Mas, are expected to share their
international experience with the team.
Atet said the team had to learn from the Australians, who had
similar techniques to the New Zealanders.
Wailan said the Australians could tell members of the team
about their strengths and weaknesses.
"By recognizing our weakness now, we still have time to
correct them," he said.
New Zealand will send Alistair C. Hunt, Steven T. Downs, Mark
Nielsen, James S. Greenhalgh and non-playing captain Jeff G.
Simpson. They are expected to arrive on March 29.
"Without their best player, Brett Stevens, New Zealand is
still a strong team. But we don't want to lose without fighting,"
Wailan said.
Wailan said he was preparing to use Suwandi, Andrian or Bonit
in the singles and Sulistyo in the doubles.
"We'll decide who will be the singles and doubles players on
the day before the match," he said.
Indonesia's best player Yayuk Basuki, world ranked 24, has won
the Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award, which is voted by
players.
The Women's Tennis Association announced the awards at the
first-ever WTA Tour/ATP Tour Awards Gala in Miami, Florida, on
Wednesday.
Yayuk beat Sabine Appelmans of Belgium and Amy Frazier of the
United States to win the award.
"Yayuk deserves the award. She's a very disciplined
individual, she can guide her juniors and she has good
relationships with everybody," Wimar said.
"One Yayuk can raise Indonesia's dignity in international
eyes. We need more people like her who to get success without
anyone's help," he said.
Tennis observer Benny Mailili said Yayuk had never had a
penalty in her 10-year professional career.
"She never gets any warnings, not even a time violation in all
her tournaments. She should have won the award last year," he
said.
Yayuk, who is in Bali after the Fed Cup qualifying round in
New Zealand last week, was nominated for the same award last
year.
Reuter reported that World No. 1 Steffi Graf of Germany was
chosen the women's tennis player of the year for the eighth time.
It was the fourth consecutive year and eighth time she had won in
the last 10 years. (yan)