RI picks junior for Germany tie
RI picks junior for Germany tie
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) has included junior
Septi Mende in the women's team for the upcoming matches against
Germany over the next two weeks.
Indonesia will host Germany in the play-offs of the Fed Cup
here from July 19-20 with the winner qualifying for the World
Group.
"We have picked Septi because we want to give a young and
potential player a fighting chance in a world level competition
for the sake of his future performance," Pelti chairwoman Martina
Wijaya said here on Wednesday.
Septi, 17, failed to defend her title at the recent Thamrin
Cup, losing to Maya Rosa. Nevertheless, teamed up with Sandy
Gumulya, who is already on the Fed Cup team, she triumphed in the
doubles, a feat which appeared to impress Martina.
"She has shown she is a good player. She deserves a place in
the team," Martina said.
Indonesia has secured a berth in the playoffs after its
triumphant performance in the regional matches in Tokyo in April.
Ahead of its Germany match, to be played at the newly-
renovated Senayan Tennis Stadium, the team has decided to make a
change with the inclusion of Septi.
With Septi in, Suzanna Anggarkusuma, who contributed a point
in the doubles during the Tokyo outing, will now concentrate on
her coaching work.
While Septi and Sandy will compliment the list, Angelique
'Angie' Widjaja and Wynne Prakusya are set to continue their
decisive roles in the team.
Both were Indonesian hopefuls at Wimbledon but Wynne has been
forced out after she failed in the women's doubles and mixed
doubles. She had to abandon her singles effort when she fell
short of reaching the main draw.
After her singles' bid ended in the second round, Angie is
still around after she made it to the quarterfinals in the
doubles with her partner, Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela.
"Hopefully, the players can gather next week to start the
workout," Martina said.
The matches will be played inside the Senayan Tennis Stadium,
which now has a hard court after a month-long refurbishment. It
used to be a clay court.
"The players want to play the matches on a hardcourt, while
the international procedures require the matches be played inside
in a venue with a seating capacity of at least 4,000," said
Subronto Laras, the team manager, explaining the urgency of the
refurbishment.
Meanwhile, AFP reported United States Fed Cup captain Billie
Jean King wants America's top women's tennis players to stay home
if they cannot commit to a full week of training and matches.
That stance has led to world number one Serena Williams,
Jennifer Capriati and Lindsay Davenport being kept off the roster
when the U.S. team plays Italy in a quarterfinal tie July 19-20
in Washington.