RI's Davis Cup squad ready for China tie

RI's Davis Cup squad ready for China tie

JAKARTA (JP): Soldiers believe in a classic adage; that a
victory is not decided on the battlefield but in the preparatory
period.

Believing that the logic is trustworthy, the Indonesian Davis
Cup squad has shrugged off criticism of the rigorous five-week
training session leading up to its Asia Oceania playoff match
against China here, scheduled for April 5 to April 7.

"Experience has taught us that makeshift preparation cost us a
win in our last Davis Cup battle," coach Deddy Prasetyo said
yesterday.

The quartet of Suwandi, Andrian Raturandang, Edi Kusdaryanto
and Donny Susetyo were left reeling after their 1-4 drubbing by
South Korea last month. It was Indonesia's first home defeat to
the Koreans in their eight Davis Cup encounters.

"Better preparation will boost my confidence that a victory is
within my team's reach," non-playing captain Wailan Walalangi
said.

Deddy, a true believer in tennis science, said that his boys
are now physically four times better than they were in the first-
round defeat last month.

"They have already reached 90 percent of the ideal fitness
required for a bruising match," said Deddy during a training
session. He noticed that Suwandi, his undoubted trump card, has
showed drastic improvement.

Wailan yesterday played down the exceptionally tough challenge
expected from China in the crucial tie. The winner will stay in
the Asia Oceania group, but the loser must survive another
playoff slated for September to avoid relegation.

"It's true that China has an outstanding singles player in Pan
Bing, but as a team they are shaky," Wailan said. Pan, the 1990
Asian Games gold medalist, will lead a four-strong team which
crashed to New Zealand in a first-round match last month.

Indonesia has chosen the Senayan clay court on which to
entertain the Chinese. The two nations last played in 1991 and on
that occasion China routed Indonesia 5-0 in 1991. "We are
comfortable playing on the slow surface whereas the Chinese are
usually tougher when playing on hard courts," Wailan said.

Wailan's squad will test their fitness in two warm-up matches
against fellow national players Bonit Wiryawan and Sulistyo
Wibowo on Wednesday and Friday.

The captain refused to disclose the lineup of his team, but
expected to announce it after the warm-up matches.

The Chinese team is scheduled to arrive next Saturday. (amd)