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)