Swiss waltz a 3-0 win in D. Cup
JAKARTA (JP): The 1992 French Open winning pair of Marc Rosset and Jakob Hlasek secured Switzerland a 3-0 unassailable lead over Indonesia in their Davis Cup World Group qualifying round match yesterday.
Armed with ballistic serves and blistering strokes, the Swiss overcame the stiff challenge of Indonesian doubles team Bonit Wiryawan and Donny Susetyo 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 in a match which lasted two hours and 15 minutes.
Rosset and company will play two last indecisive reverse singles games today, but they look set to complete their high- flying run.
Playing to a 500-strong jeering home crowd, the towering Swiss got off to a fine start, breaking the Indonesians' serve in the fourth game to grab the opening set.
The home pair gave their answers in the second, as both Bonit and newcomer Donny stood gamely in front of the net to deny their opponents the impact of their powerful passing shots. The strategy paid dividends as the Indonesians managed to save their games, while waiting for both Rosset and Hlasek to tally their unforced errors.
Indonesia opened up a golden service breaking chance in the eighth game when Hlasek's ground strokes hit the net three times in a row. The Swiss, who once was included among the world's top five doubles players, regained his composure with two unreturned serves.
Indonesia's number one doubles team had to struggle hard to save a break point in the next game as Bonit conceded two unforced errors. However, he made up for his mistakes with brilliant approaches to the net, volleying balls past a dazed Rosset.
The world-beating Swiss players faced another thriller in the 12th game. Trailing 0-30, they achieved a come-from-behind survival after Bonit blundered with a slow smash.
The second set came to a nerve-wrecking point when both pairs kept up with their own serves during a close tie breaker. Donny, however, could not overcome his nerves during the crucial point. He made a wide backhand return, allowing the Swiss a sigh of relief.
It took only 30 minutes more for the Swiss pair to wrap up the final set, despite the disappointment over a footfault call.
"We lost a little bit of concentration in the second set, since we were eager to seal the match as soon as possible," Hlasek told a press conference after yesterday's rubber.
Indonesia's non-playing captain, Wailan Walalangi, admitted that his players were outclassed. "But they have performed commendably. They only lack experiences," the relaxed coach said.
"At least we lost without being disgraced," Wailan, the former doubles great who joined the Indonesian team in its Davis Cup elite group campaign in 1982 and 1988, said.
The Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) had set the Davis Cup tie against favorite Switzerland as the final proving ground before the Asian Games tennis competitions next month.
The defeat slumps Indonesia into the Asia Oceania zonal tie next year, while Switzerland enters the World Group, comprising 16 of the world's best tennis playing countries. Wailan indicated that Indonesia will not be granted the choice of ground.
In today's last two singles, Rosset will play Indonesia's number one Benny Wijaya and Hlasek takes on Suwandi in a best-of- three rubber apiece. (amd)