Tennis star Yayuk longing for a baby: Spouse

JAKARTA (JP): The long delayed plan to have a baby has prompted national tennis queen Yayuk Basuki to set a firm date for retirement next year, her husband and coach Suharyadi said on Monday.

Suharyadi said Yayuk had postponed becoming pregnant for the sake of her career since they married in January 1994.

"What Yayuk thinks is the best will always be the best for both of us. We, of course, want to spend our life as a normal couple who stay at home and raise children," Suharyadi, also a former top national tennis player, was quoted as saying by Antara.

"Yayuk will turn 28 in November. Time will roll on, while we are longing for a baby."

Suharyadi, who is accompanying Yayuk at the U.S. Open now underway in New York, said the family would remain in Jakarta after her retirement.

Yayuk's hectic tour schedule ruled out consideration of having a child. But the sacrifice paid off as she managed to break the world's top 20 twice, in 1994 and last year. She achieved a career-high ranking of 19 in October last year.

Yayuk, who finished last season with total earnings of US$385,824, has won about $1.3 million during her eight-year professional career.

The current world number 37 said last week she would definitely hang up her racket after the Australian Open in January next year.

She also said she wished to end her career on a high note. She has set her sights on winning the Asian Games singles gold medal in December.

Suharyadi said he had no idea about Yayuk's activities after quitting competitive tennis.

"We're going to talk about it later. First of all we are hoping to have a baby."

But he did not rule out that Yayuk might try her hand at coaching, writing books or television commentating.

Asked whether he expected his children to follow in their parents' footsteps, Suharyadi said he would let them decide their own future.

"Of course we will be very happy to produce a tennis family. But it's not parents who decide their children's future." (amd)