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)