Romana boosts RI's Fed Cup hopes

Romana boosts RI's Fed Cup hopes

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's number two tennis player Romana
Tedjakusuma returned home yesterday to give her country a boost
ahead of its Federation Cup Group One first round match against
Belgium here this weekend.

Romana, whose Fed Cup appearance was in doubt owing to her
college commitments in Louisiana, U.S., is expected to join the
team today despite suffering from jet-lag.

Indonesian non-playing captain Suharyadi said after a training
session yesterday that he is considering giving his 19-year-old
player a shot in the doubles match during the Fed Cup duel slated
for April 27 and 28.

"She will need three or four days to fully recover, meaning
that the very short time left before the Fed Cup will enable her
only to concentrate on playing doubles," Suharyadi said.

In a Fed Cup match, the doubles match is played after two
singles and two reverse singles matches and usually serves as the
deciding rubber.

Romana, missing from the World Tennis Association tour for the
whole season last year, now looks certain to team up with world
number 33 Yayuk Basuki. The duo triumphed in the Asian
Championships last year and in previous Fed Cup matches,
Indonesia has relied on them to see the team through to the next
round.

Indonesia has named two juniors, Liza Andriyani and Wynne
Praskusya, to back up Yayuk and Romana against the Belgian
challenge.

"Both Wynne and Liza have chances of becoming the second
choice of singles player after Yayuk," said Suharyadi, who is
also Yayuk's coach and husband.

Yayuk, still battling with a cough, joined the workout
yesterday, but Liza made an early exit after complaining of a
headache.

The Belgian quartet of Sabine Appelmans, Laurence Courtois,
Nancy Feber and Dominique van Roost, also arrived here yesterday.

Belgian non-playing captain Steven Martin admitted yesterday
that his side is by no means guaranteed victory over the host
team. "When you step onto the court, you deal with many non-
technical matters as well," he said.

Belgium, bidding to climb back to the World Group, is fielding
its aces against Indonesia, and sees Yayuk as the only real
jeopardy.

The winner of this weekend's tie will meet a loser from the
World Group matches, scheduled for July 8 and 9, while at the
same time the loser takes on a fellow Group One loser in a
playoff. (amd)