RI sets sights on 1-1 tie in Fed Cup opener
RI sets sights on 1-1 tie in Fed Cup opener
JAKARTA (JP): Yayuk Basuki expressed satisfaction, with a soundless shriek, when International Tennis Federation referee Bill Gilmour announced that she would play Argentine number three Florencia Labat in the first day of their Federation Cup tie today.
Thursday's draw ran as everybody had hoped -- avoiding an early match pitting Yayuk, Indonesia's number one, against her Argentinean opposing number Gabriela Sabatini.
Sabatini, world number seven, is tipped to give a tennis lesson to Indonesian second ranked Romana Tedjakusuma in today's opening singles. The reverse singles will be played tomorrow, along with the only doubles rubber.
"I don't know whether the draw favors or disfavors our team," Indonesia's non-playing captain, Suharyadi, said. But Hery, as he is known by close friends, could not stop smiling.
"Our chance depends on a lucky draw," Hery said, just before Gilmour presided over the draw.
If statistics are worth believing, host Indonesia should share a 1-1 tie after the first two singles matches.
Sabatini is undoubtedly far above Romana's league. The Indonesian, once ranked in 90s in 1993, faces a knock-out of the world's top 200 after a string of miserable showings.
Yayuk could score a sweet equalizer in her third meeting with Labat, an opponent she has beaten twice so far.
But Yayuk expressed guarded optimism, to tame world number 44 Labat. "She's a strong player. We have equal chances of winning the match," Yayuk said of her left-handed opponent, who is fresh from her triumph in the Pan American Games held last month.
A natural talent Yayuk, Indonesia's backbone for 11 years, has yet to display her best tennis, which spurred her to seven career titles this year. Making early quits in her outings, Yayuk managed only to reach the semifinals in the Indonesia Open.
Tough
Argentina, fielding its best team, looks set to survive the tough challenge host Indonesia has promised to give. The South Americans, top seeds in the world group qualifying round, sidelined number two Ines Gorrochategui, who is nursing a foot injury. It is Sabatini's presence, however, that gives Argentina a better chance.
"I believe we could beat a Sabatini-less Argentina," said Yayuk.
Sabatini, who led her team to the Federation Cup semifinals in 1986, but opted to pull out of the women's tennis team competition for the past seven years, made a comeback after the International Tennis Federation decided to adopt the Davis Cup format.
Argentinean non-playing captain Ricardo Rivera was also behind Sabatini's reconciliation with her national team. "I spoke to her and she agreed without any reservations. We are best friends," said Rivera.
Other top players, Germany's world number one Steffi Graf, Spain's world number two Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and third ranked Mary Pierce are all absent from this year's Cup.
Sabatini will also play doubles with Patricia Tarabini tomorrow, unless the Argentinean squad secures three winning points in the first four singles matches.
"We have played well together a couple of times during our practices," said Sabatini, who scored best doubles team 8-0 victory with Mercedes Paz in the Federation Cup.
The Indonesia-Argentina matches will be played on rebound ace surface at the Senayan indoor tennis stadium. Tickets are available for between Rp 10,000 and Rp 25,000 (US$4.5 and $11.3) each. (amd)