Tennis juniors Imron and Maya survived the first test

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian boy's singles player Al Imron and girl's singles player Maya Rosa cruised through to the second round of the 2001 Gas Negara International Junior Championships at the Kemayoran Tennis Center here.

Al Imron, who is number 278 in the junior world rankings, had to work hard before he overcame South Korean qualifier Lee Dae- dong 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in the first round on Tuesday. Imron will challenge Austrian Marku Egger, with a junior world ranking of 124, on Wednesday. Egger thrashed Michal Piotrowski from Poland 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.

Maya, with a junior world ranking of 193 and seeded here in eighth place, also sweated it out before she defeated compatriot Stella Sondang 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Maya will face Indonesian qualifier Suci Bungaran, who breezed through the second round with an easy 6-1, 6-1 victory over Indonesian wild card entry Lenny Komalasari.

Besides Imron, only Mario Santoso also overcame the first hurdle. Mario, number 256 in the junior world rankings, had to fight hard before he ousted Michal Przysienzny of Poland 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).

Mario will meet Vinod Kumar Sewa of India, who is number 83 in the junior world rankings and seeded fourth in this event. Sewa beat Shaun Ellison of South Africa 6-1, 6-2 on Tuesday.

Indonesian top boy's player Eko Kurniawan crashed out of the event following a 6-7 (1-7), 2-6 defeat by qualifier Pawel Dilaj of Poland. Dilaj will meet third seed Robert Blair of South Africa, who beat Stephen Amritraj of the United States 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Top seeded Suni Kumar Sipaeya of India also went through to the second round after overwhelming Indonesian wild card entry Harris Ernanda 6-2, 6-2.

The Indonesian girls fared better than their male counterparts.

Novianti Warsono made her way to the second round after defeating Indonesian wild card entry Golda Rubina 6-1, 6-3. Novianti will play second seed Yomna Farid of Egypt, who beat another wild card entry from Indonesia Lavinia Tananta 6-1, 6-0.

Septi Nindya Yutami beat qualifier Jessica Hoath of Australia 6-3, 6-3 to meet Amani Khalifa of Egypt on Wednesday. Khalifa beat Indonesia's Lisa Mariana, also a wild card entry, 6-1, 6-3.

Diana Julianto also continued through to the second round after beating compatriot Gemma Yoseyn 6-0, 6-0. Diana will meet seventh seed Susanne Aigner of Austria, who outplayed South African Carmen Schwellnus 6-0, 6-2.

Sandy Gumulya failed to make her way through to the second round after she succumbed to the Philippines' sixth seeded Czarima Mae Arevalo 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5). Arevalo will take on Amber Liu of the United States, who had an easy 6-0, 6-0 win over Julianne Welford of Australia.

Top seeded Maretha Van Niekerk faced little resistance from Indonesia's Dian Anggraini. The South African girl, whose junior world ranking is 61, will meet South Korean qualifier Kim Su-jin, who beat Indonesia's Linda Arumsari 6-2, 6-1.(ivy)