Romana improves in Fed Cup run-up
Romana improves in Fed Cup run-up
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian second best player Romana Tedjakusuma
claimed yesterday to have made improvement on her form as she
geared up for the clash with Switzerland at a Federation Cup
match this weekend.
"My strokes are more consistent now," Romana said after a
workout with teammate Wynne Prakusya at the Senayan tennis
complex yesterday. "I've also grown slimmer after hard training
recently."
Romana underwent a special training program for six weeks in
her hometown of Surabaya, East Java, before moving to Jakarta
over the weekend.
World-ranked 28th Yayuk Basuki, Romana and juniors Liza
Andriyani and Wynne will form the team for the Fed Cup second-
round playoff. Romana, who made no outing during the whole of
last year, played the second-string singles in Indonesia's 0-5
drubbing by Belgium in their first-round tie last April.
Yayuk, fresh from her Wimbledon campaign, failed to turn up
for the practice. She had to look after her ailing mother, who is
now undergoing medical treatment at the Gatot Subroto hospital.
Yayuk is expected to join the team today.
Liza, suffering from jet-lag after arriving from Wimbledon
yesterday, was the other absentee from the opening work-out.
Non-playing captain Suharyadi said he was satisfied with
Romana's performance yesterday. "Romana shows her consistent
strokes and good physical fitness," said Suharyadi, who is also
Yayuk's husband.
Prospects
Suharyadi refused to disclose Romana's prospects of playing
the second singles, but said that she would focus on playing
doubles with Yayuk. The pair, winners of the Asia Championships
last November, will play at the Atlanta Olympic Games.
Romana took the second singles place easily. "Playing singles
or doubles doesn't matter to me. I won't be disappointed if the
captain denies me the singles match," said Romana.
Suharyadi admitted that Indonesia is the underdog, despite the
home-soil advantage. "We hope to steal two points from the second
singles," he said.
Suharyadi predicted that the Swiss will count heavily on world
number 18 Martina Hingis and likely on Patty Schnyder. Hingis,
15, became the youngest Wimbledon champion when she won the
women's doubles crown with Helena Sukova of the Czech Republic.
Hingis also cruised to the fourth round in the singles, before
going down to eventual champion Steffi Graf.
The Swiss are expected to arrive here this afternoon. (yan)