Tennis body backs up junior stars

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)