RI Fed Cup team has narrow chance

By Bruce Emond

JAKARTA (JP): Yayuk Basuki should have been happy last week. She reached the final at the DFS Classic in Birmingham, Britain, beating world number 10 Rumanian Irina Spirlea on the way. Her World Tennis Association (WTA) ranking jumped six places to 25.

Instead, a dampener was put on Yayuk's celebration when the Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) scratched her from Indonesia's Fed Cup squad for the tie against Italy here next month.

The reason given was that Suharyadi, Yayuk's husband and coach of the Fed Cup team, had sent a letter to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) asking for a change of playing surface from clay to Rebound Ace.

He did not forward a copy to PELTI, but the ITF informed them of the request.

Pelti charged that Suharyadi had overstepped his duties as team coach and undermined the association's authority.

Yayuk's actions in balking at playing on clay were called inconsistent, as she competed on clay at the French Open last month. She also won all of her matches when Indonesia beat Italy in the Federation Cup in Italy two years ago.

The association's argument is easy to pick apart. Yayuk's flowing, all-court game is more suited to fast services like grass or Rebound Ace. She rarely plays on clay, except for the French Open, which is almost obligatory for any high-ranking player. She did not enter the French Open in 1993 because she did not consider it worthwhile to her ranking, and her best performance at the event was reaching the third round last year.

Yayuk was part of the winning team in Italy, but the victory left many surprised. Italian players grow up on clay courts and their patient baseline games are ideal for the surface. The Italians selected clay as the venue for that tie precisely because it was their best surface.

This year, Indonesia had the choice of surface. It came as a surprise when the announcement was made a few months back that Pelti had chosen clay, Yayuk's least favorite surface (a chorus of hallelujahs must have erupted in the Italian camp). It was a strange, almost inexplicable decision, comparable to Austrian clay courter Thomas Muster pushing to play a Davis Cup tie on grass.

While Suharyadi committed an error of judgment by writing directly to the ITF and not apprising Pelti, it is not known if he discussed the matter with members of the association beforehand. Pelti is a bureaucracy, and as such probably a haven for political plays and infighting.

Yayuk's reaction to the announcement was to say she was disappointed and would not play for the team again. She pointedly referred to her 13 years of participation in the former Federation Cup, which saw Indonesia reach the quarterfinals for the first time in the 1990s.

There was irony in her wishing her best to the young team members. The chances of the team winning even one match against the Italians are negligible. Wynne Prakusya played outstandingly in the Asia-Pacific Qualifying Zone in New Zealand in March, winning all her matches. But it must be remembered that she was playing second string players from Taiwan, New Zealand and India, countries not noted for their tennis talent. It was left to Yayuk to play and beat Wang Shi Ting, the only other major player in the competition. She did this in two matches.

Yayuk's achievements are outstanding. Except for the Japanese, Yayuk is the only other Asian player to break into the top 25. She is respected around the world, not just for her unique playing style in a world of baseline hugging moppets, but also her friendly, easy going manner. This year, she received the Karen Krantzcke award for sportsmanship, an award voted on by all the players on the circuit.

Hopefully, she will not retire in the next few years, but when she does she will be an asset to Indonesian tennis. She has proven herself, and she has no vested agenda, no reason to engage in power plays or grandstanding.

Indonesia's best hope is that team members do not receive a drubbing when they step onto court next month. Italy's Sylvia Farina, Rita Grande and even veteran Laura Golarsa have the clay court technique and experience to teach the young Indonesians a lesson or two. Without Yayuk, Indonesia can only hope for miracles at Senayan Stadium.