Switzerland takes 2-0 Davis Cup lead
Switzerland takes 2-0 Davis Cup lead
JAKARTA (JP): Switzerland gave a tennis lesson to Indonesia
yesterday, when the visiting team took a comfortable 2-0 lead in
the first day of their Davis Cup World Group qualifying round.
Despite the sweltering heat at the Senayan tennis stadium,
Marc Rosset and Jakob Hlasek were too strong for Benny Wijaya and
Suwandi; the Swiss players swept the first two singles of the
five-match tier without dropping a single set, in under two-hours
of play apiece.
World number 63 Hlasek only faced his real test in the first
set, before he rolled past Indonesia's number one Benny 7-6 (7-
3), 6-3, 6-0 to put his side 1-0 ahead.
The high-flying Swiss extended their trouncing of the hosts
when Olympic champion Rosset blasted 11 aces based spirited
teenager Suwandi 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 in the second singles.
Benny got off to a flying start, unleashing his powerful
forehand against an error-ridden Hlasek for a break in the sixth
game. A floating backhand return, however, cost the hosts a tie-
break.
A bad call over a lucky-net-cord distracted Benny's rhythm
when the Indonesian was 2-0 up in the tie-break. Hlasek scored
five points in a row before sealing the set with an unanswered
cross court.
The next two sets were a one-man-show, with a demoralized
Benny giving Hlasek numerous chances to rifle shots at and past
him. Benny made an all out effort for each ball, but failed to
match Hlasek's deep shots. The Indonesian applauded along with
the crowd after many of Hlasek's brilliant strokes.
"I really needed to win at least a set, but he made me
nervous," Benny, his hair cut in a distinct 'Bart Simpson' style,
said in a press conference after the match. He admitted, however,
he would not have been able to beat his opponent even if he took
the first set.
Hlasek, who addressed the conference in English, French and
German, blamed his erroneous first set play on his fast strokes.
He joined Benny to lodge complaints over bad call rulings. "There
were at least two bad calls, but they didn't affect me," he said.
It took several seconds for umpire Ken Farrar to decide
Benny's backhand return over the line at the end of the game, and
Hlasek was about to protest by raising his hand.
On paper, the towering Rosset undoubtedly outclassed the baby-
faced Suwandi. But the Indonesian gave it his best, making Rosset
run with his cross court ground strokes fired from the baseline.
Rosset, who sometimes entertained the crowd of 1,000 with his
clown-like gestures, suffered a break once in the third game of
the final set after producing three double faults. The Swiss
world number 17 tallied his double faults at seven against
Suwandi's five during the one and a half hour of play.
"I'm now thinking about tomorrow's (today's) doubles.
Everything will be finished on Saturday," he joked.
Rosset will be teamed with Hlasek, his triumphant partner at
the 1992 French Open. They will be paired up against Bonit
Wiryawan and Donny Susetyo today. (amd)