Romana's Fed Cup form in doubt

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's number-two female tennis player Romana Tedjakusuma is struggling to recover her form in time for the Fed Cup Group One first round match against Belgium at Senayan this weekend.

"I'm still trying to get used to the weather and the time here, but I'll be ready if the coach asks me to play singles and doubles," Romana said after practice yesterday.

Romana, who arrived in the country on Tuesday, joined the national Fed Cup team of Indonesian number one Yayuk Basuki and juniors Liza Andriyani and Wynne Prakusya.

"The weather is so hot and humid for me that I will need three days of acclimatization. I just hope that I'll be fully fit on Saturday," 20-year-old Romana said.

Romana, who has developed physically since starting training in the United States, joined the work-out on the air-conditioned center court of the Senayan rebound-ace tennis complex, the venue for the Fed Cup clash. "I don't think I can play outside. It's too hot out there," she complained.

Romana will only have a week-long trip here, because she has to fly back to Louisiana next Monday for her final exam at the Nicholls State College.

Indonesian non-playing captain Suharyadi refused to unveil her singles players but said that Romana remains the strongest candidate to team up with Yayuk in the doubles.

Suharyadi, Yayuk's coach and husband, predicted that the Belgian team will name Sabine Appelmans in the first singles. Dominique van Roost and Laurence Courtois will fight for the second singles place.

Yayuk, who lost to boys' singles player Januar Rashad 6-7 (3- 7) in yesterday's session, said that the visiting Belgians are the 60-40 favorites in the weekend's clash. "Playing as underdogs, however, will help us as we will have nothing to lose. All we can do is fight it out," she said.

Meanwhile, the newly-elected chairman of the National Tennis Body, Wimar Witoelar, said yesterday that Taiwan has dismissed Indonesia's request to change the date of their do-or-die Davis Cup playoff match. The crucial duel, slated for Sept. 20 to Sept. 22, coincides with the National Games, where Indonesian players will don their provincial colors.

"If there's a stalemate, we will have to lobby each provincial body to exempt their national players from the Games," he said.

Wimar said that the body will call up between eight to 12 players in May or June to play a national selection competition for the Davis Cup. (05)