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)