RI players seek berths at Australian Open
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesian top tennis players are scheduled to leave for Hong Kong on Saturday to take part at the US$60,000 Asia Cup which also serves as the qualifying ground for the Australian Open in January.
Singles winners in Hong Kong, which runs from Dec. 17 through Dec. 23, will make it to main draw at the first Grand Slam event of the year 2002.
The Indonesian Tennis Association has named Suwandi and Peter Handoyo for the men's singles and Wynne Prakusya and Wukirasih Sawondari for the women's singles.
Interviewed after a medical check up at the National Sports Council (KONI) headquarters on Monday, Suwandi and Wynne were split when they rated their Asia Cup chances.
Suwandi simply pledged to fight to the end to win an unprecedented shot at the Australian Open.
"I am eying the singles title which grants me an automatic place in the Australian Open draw," he said.
"But it is going to be tough as all top Asian tennis players will be taking part in the tournament. Since I am not seeded in the event, I will hope on good drawing."
Suwandi, however, admitted that his chance was quite slim considering all the players taking part in the tournament.
"I think it will be good if I could reach the semifinals. But the most important thing is that the event is a good preparation for the Busan 2002 Asian Games," he said.
Meanwhile, Wynne said she was expecting to win the women's single title being the first seed although she already secured the berth in Australian Open's main draw.
"My target is to win the women's singles and mixed doubles titles. I also expect to at least enter the semifinals for women's doubles event," she said.
Wynne will play Wukirasih, a replacement for Yayuk Basuki, in women's doubles and probably team up with Suwandi in the mixed doubles."
Wynne said it could be a tough job to win the mixed doubles title as there were Indians Mahesh Bhupati and Leander Paes.
"India may not have strong women tennis players but Mahesh and Leander are surely good players," she said.
"Actually we wanted Angie to join the team but she preferred to celebrate her birthday. I think she is wasting her own career opportunity. She could just postpone or bring her birthday party forward," she added while pointing to young starlet Angelique Wijaya.
In a separate development, Wynne admitted the women's squad of loosing its power after veteran tennis players Yayuk and Romana Tedjakusuma resigned from the Asian Games squad.
The Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) has replaced the seniors with Wukirasih and Lisa Andriana to accompany Wynne and Angie.
"Although Wukir and Lisa have not been in intensive training lately, they are more senior than Angie. It will be up to them to prepare themselves for Asian Games," said Wynne.
In the men's team, Suwandi and Peter are accompanied by Febi Widhianto and Hendri Pramono Susilo.