Senior players reign in Niaga Cigna Open

JAKARTA (JP): Top tennis players were still leading without any strong contenders from the provinces during the first Niaga Cigna Open 2000 at Senayan tennis stadium here on Friday.

Not surprisingly, it will shape up as a fight between the old faces in junior tennis and their seniors in the semifinals and final of the Rp 35 million (US$4,794) tournament on Saturday.

In the men's single, top seeded Dede Suhendar Dinata will challenge Andrian Raturandang in the semifinal on Saturday, while the other match will pit Sebastian DaCosta against junior Edy Kusdaryanto.

Suhendar easily outclassed former member of the 1999 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games team Yusmawan Fahmi 6-0, 6-3, while Andrian Raturandang, former member of the Davis Cup team, beat Surya Wijaya 6-2, 6-3 in the quarterfinals on Friday.

DaCosta sweated out his defeat of Tjahjono 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, while Edy overcame his senior and men's double specialist Bonit Wiryawan 3-6, 6-0, 7-6.

In the women's single, veteran Irawati Moerid Iskandar upset junior Lianasari Batubara 6-1, 6-2. She will play former member of the 1999 SEA Games Wukirasih Sawondari in Saturday's semis. Wukirasih beat Angelique Wijaya 6-1, 7-5.

Saturday's semifinal will also see Frederika Girsang playing against Liza Andriani. Frederika defeated Dea Sumantri 6-3, 6-3 while Liza, also the former member of the 1999 SEA Games, found her way to the semis by an easy 6-3, 6-0 victory over Suci Bungaran.

In the men's double final Saturday, veteran pair Bonit and Sulistyo Wibowo will play another senior pair of Andrian and Suwandi.

Bonit/Sulistyo beat DaCosta/Yusmawan 6-4, 6-4 in Friday's semis, while Andrian/ Suwandi overpowered Ferdi Fauzi and Hendri Susilo Pramono 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.

The women's double pair of Irawati and Wukirasih will try their luck against hopeful pair of Dea Sumantri and Frederika. Irawati/Wukirasih beat Mudarwati/Eny Sulistyowati 6-4, 6-0, and Dea/Frederika had to fight hard before they could defeat favorite Angelique/ Liza 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.

Meanwhile, senior tennis player Yayuk Basuki, who watched the matches on Friday, said that she met the chairman of the National Sports Council (KONI) Wismoyo Arismunandar on Thursday.

"Wismoyo asked about my commitment to defend Indonesia in the 2000 Olympic Games. It's just a routine meeting between the Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) and the KONI chairman. Pelti asked KONI to help request the wild card for me and Wynne Prakusya. Wismoyo said that KONI will lend its hand," she said.

Yayuk and Wynne are awaiting the wild card in the women's doubles for the Olympics. Wynne is also expecting another wild card in the women's singles.(ivy)