RI, Netherlands to play friendly matches

RI, Netherlands to play friendly matches

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and the Netherlands have agreed to
establish junior tennis friendly matches, with the first of the
annual matches to be held here next week.

Eddy Katimansah from the Indonesian tennis association (Pelti)
said on Friday that the agreement would be signed in the form of
Memorandum of Understanding by both Pelti's chairman Sarwono
Kusumaatmadja and his Dutch counterpart Ruurd de Boer on Aug. 19.

"We have also agreed to facilitate Dutch junior players during
their Asian tours and vise versa," Eddy said. The memorandum will
succeed the 3-year-old accord on technical assistance between the
Dutch and Pelti.

Indonesia and the Netherlands will take turns in hosting the
matches for under-16 players. They will use Davis Cup and
Federation Cup formats. Both countries will field two boys' and
girls' teams of four each.

"This program is expected to give our juniors a lot of
experience playing foreign rivals," Eddy said.

Pelti has formed a boys' team and a girls' team for the
inaugural matches on Aug. 19 and 20 at the Hilton tennis courts,
Jakarta.

Feby Widiyanto, Peter Handoyo, Ivan Taufik and Hendri Susilo
Pramono will line up the national boys' team. The girls' squad
will be made up of Enny Sulistyowati, who is also a national
Federation Cup member, Wynne Prakusya, Wukirasih Sawondari and
Marieke Gunawan.

The Dutch boys' team will comprise Remco Pondman, Stefan
Aarts, Ronald Kloppert and Sebastian Sikkink. They will travel
here with their female compatriots Annette Oosters, Kelly Bouman,
Diana Oost and Andrea van den Hurk.

Eddy also said that Pelti is considering looking for more
sparring teams other than the Netherlands. "We are still
approaching Australia," Eddy said. (amd)