Tennis body backs up junior stars

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Tennis Association (PELTI) official Benny Mailili believes national junior players deserve the chance to perform in major events such as the Asian Games and the Olympics.

"We have junior players who performed outstandingly in the recent SEA Games. We still have 13 months to prepare them for the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok next year," he said Friday.

Benny expressed his disappointment with the National Sports Council's spokesman Ishadi SK, who said Wednesday that Indonesia would not send tennis players in the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok next year unless world number 21 Yayuk Basuki played.

"We all know that Yayuk is our best player, but it doesn't mean that our juniors, who had excellent achievements in the SEA Games, won't be able to perform well," he was quoted as saying by Antara.

"I think the council did not regard the juniors contribution in the Games."

In the SEA Games, Indonesia won three golds in the women's event and two golds in the men's event.

Wukirasih Sawondari and Liza Andriyani, who were underdogs in the event, upset world ranked 37th Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand in the women's singles individual event and the team event.

Liza and teammate Wynne Prakusya won the women's doubles individual event by upsetting top seeded Tamarine/Benjamas Sangaram.

The council's vice chairman, Arie Sudewo, said Friday that the proposed sports to be competed in at the Asian Games were not final.

"We still need to evaluate thoroughly the sports we are going to compete in at the Asian Games. We won't send sports in which our players will only use the event as a tryout. We'll only send those with prospects," he said.

In preparation for the Asian Games, the tennis association will send juniors to compete in satellite or challenger tournaments here and abroad. (yan)