Suwandi off to fine start on national selection trail
Suwandi off to fine start on national selection trail
JAKARTA (JP): A rejuvenated Suwandi, bronze medalist at last
year's Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, got off to
a blistering start as he breezed past Muhamad Syahid, 6-4, 6-2 on
the opening day of the preselection tournament for the national
tennis team at the Senayan clay courts yesterday.
It was painfully clear from the outset that Suwandi had too
much firepower for the little-known Syahid, who only managed to
put up any resistance in the first set.
Syahid faded badly in the second set, allowing Suwandi to
dominate proceedings. With an array of well-aimed top spins and
powerful groundstrokes Suwandi wrong footed Syahid time and
again.
The two games won by the fast-tiring Syahid in the second set
came courtesy of unforced errors by his higher-ranked adversary.
"To tell you the truth I haven't got used yet to playing on
clay. I had a little difficulty getting into my stride in the
first set because of the slow court," Suwandi said after the
match.
Asked about his chances of rejoining the national team, the
19-year-old West Javanese said for now he would only concentrate
on doing well in the on-going tournament in order to qualify for
the next selection trial on Dec. 2.
Sixteen players are competing in the current preselection
event. They are divided into four groups. The best eight of them
win the right to compete against the eight national players, who
are members of the national squad formed following last year's
selection matches.
Suwandi, the top seed in the preselection tournament, is in
Group B with old-war horse Yustejo Tarik, Abdul Kahar MIM and
Syahid. In his second match, Suwandi is to take on Yustejo, 42,
today.
Yustejo, the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games champion, lost out 1-
6, 3-6 to Abdul Kahar yesterday.
In another match yesterday, Yusmawan Fahmi from Central Java
defeated Surya Wijaya from Lampung, 6-4, 7-5. It was the most
interesting match of the day, with fortunes fluctuating as the
two players fought to outwit each other in an absorbing duel
lasting about two hours.
Surya, who trailed 4-5 in the second set, drew level at 5-5
after breaking Yusmawan's serve. But Yusmawan regained the lead
when a passing shot executed with deadly accuracy and precision
pierced through his rival's defense. He closed out the match when
Surya shot wide.
The preselection tournament winds up tomorrow.
Yesterday's other results: Group A: Tjahyono beat Jeffri
Trihandiansyah, 6-1, 6-3 ; Haryadi Lesmana beat Mulyadi 7-6 (6-
2), 6-4; Group C: Eddy Kusdaryanto beat Hendri Susilo, 3-6, 6-0,
6-3. Group D: Donny Susteyo beat Stanley Sanger, 6-1, 6-2. (bas)