RI Davis Cuppers on brink of elimination

Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Japan took a 2-1 lead in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group I tie against Indonesia when world No. 74 Thomas Shimada paired with Takahiro Terachi to win the doubles in straight sets here, on Saturday.

The Japanese were too strong for the host pairing of Suwandi and Hendri Susilo Pramono, winning 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 in just two hours at the Bung Karno Tennis Open Stadium in Senayan.

In the second set the Indonesians went to a 4-2 lead after breaking the visitors' service but in the next game the Japanese fought back with their own break and leveled the gap to 4-4.

Indonesia then went to a 6-5 lead, but the Japanese kept pressuring, forcing Suwandi and Hendri into a tiebreak.

The tiebreak was an agony for about 1,000 home fans watching, as the Japanese dashed to a convincing 6-1 lead. The hosts managed to get two more points but the visitors were stronger and closed the tiebreak with a 7/3 win.

In the third set, the Japanese quickly marched to a 5-0 lead, a gap the hosts found hard to close, and eventually Shimada/Terachi concluded the set 6-1.

Suwandi, ranked 517 in ATP doubles, admitted that his opponents were tough. While the Japanese were a little nervous in the first set, they steadily gained confidence -- especially in the final set.

"They found their best form in the third set. They outclassed us," the 27-year old Indonesian said after the match.

Shimada, 28, said his team was aware the host team was confident after Indonesia No. 1 Febi Widhiyanto defeated Gouichi Motomura in the second singles match on Friday.

"Therefore, Terachi and I set our level of play very high and, if our opponents were to match us, we were ready to take our level of play even higher," Shimada said.

"I am happy with what we achieved today, but it's not over yet," he said.

The next singles matches will take place on Sunday with Febi to play Takao Suzuki, and Prima Simpatiaji -- defeated by Suzuki in the opening singles -- to face Motomura.

Indonesia's non-playing captain Tintus Arianto Wibowo said the team would not put all the pressure on Febi, although he was aware that Sunday's match against Suzuki would be decisive.

"We ask Febi to play it cool, be himself and worry about nothing. I believe he can show his best," Tintus said.