RI seeks to square point against Lebanon

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia is set to take on Lebanon in the Davis Cup match starting on Friday in Surabaya, East Java, with high hopes it will avenge its loss in their past and only meeting in 1998.

The Indonesian team, then featuring the outgoing Andrian Raturandang, had to pay dearly for its 2-3 loss in Beirut, being relegated to Group Two of the Asia-Oceania zone.

The Surabaya contest, in the second round of Group One, is inevitable following Indonesia's dismal tour of New Zealand in February when Suwandi lost twice in their 2-3 defeat by the host.

Indonesia and Lebanon now meet again in less than four years with them exchanging venue.

Suwandi, Febi Widhiyanto, Hendri Susilo and Bonit Wiryawan are poised for a three-day battle at the Embong Sawo tennis hard courts against Hussein Malek Badreddine, Ali Hamadeh, Patrick Chucri and Fadi Youssef.

As the hosting team, Indonesia must see it as a well-timed occasion to square the score.

"I guess we hold 60 percent against 40 percent," Ferry Raturandang, a tennis observer, said when asked about the odds. He said being less informed about the opponents' strength, the Tintus Ariwibowo-led team rely totally on its own potential to get through.

Given the visiting team's lineup, which includes American- based players Ali Hamadeh and Patrick Chucri, Ferry, who is also an official of the country's tennis governing body, was not fazed .

He viewed a different opinion, saying the two players, getting used to playing under relatively cold conditions on the American soil, may be unable to endure the heat of Surabaya.

Looking at the rankings in which the Indonesians are above the Lebanese, Ferry said he was confident Indonesia must come out the winner.

Though, he lamented the absence of Peter Handoyo, the only player who contributed points for the team in New Zealand.

He hinted he would have been more confident with Peter in the team instead of Bonit.

The inclusion of Bonit will prompt a change in the role prominently by doubles specialist Febi Widhiyanto.

The 22-year-old, who won the recent Cigna Open at the expense of Suwandi, will now stand in Peter's place as the second singles player after Suwandi.

This leaves his doubles partner Hendri Susilo to team up in a makeshift pairing with Bonit.

Despite being paired for the first time, they, according to Ferry, should not be underestimated. "They trained together before the matches," he said.