Three locals qualify for Danamon Open

Three locals qualify for Danamon Open

JAKARTA (JP): Mimma Chernovita completed Indonesia's trouncing
in the qualifying rounds of the US$164,000 Danamon Indonesia Open
women's tennis championships yesterday, leaving only three home
players in the main draw.

Former Federation Cup member Mimma staged a late fightback on
her way to a 1-6, 6-7 (1-7) defeat by Claudia Porwik of Germany
in yesterday's second round match.

Earlier, Porwik, top seed in the qualifiers, disposed of
Indonesia's junior player Wynne Prakusya 6-3, 6-4. The other home
favorites, Liza Andriyani and Wukirasih Sawondari, also crashed
out on Sunday.

The home crowd's hopes for the title lie with Yayuk Basuki,
seeded third this year, and two teenagers Enny Sulistyowati and
Agustine Limanto, who received wild card berths in the main draw.

Mimma, who reached the second round after beating Caroline
Bodart of the Netherlands, broke Porwik to go 5-3 up in the
second set. However serving for the set, the Indonesian spoiled
everything with a catalog of unforced errors.

Porwik regained control of the match, breaking Mimma's serve
on her way to a crucial equalizer.

A confident Mimma held her own serve to go 6-5 up, but the
German woman stayed cool to level the set. Porwik kept up her
attacking game as Mimma ran out of the steam in the tiebreak.

The organizers announced yesterday that American Jennifer
Capriati would not play here after she failed to reply.

Sabine Appelmans, who leads her Belgian team in a Fed Cup
Group One first-round match against Indonesia here on April 27,
tops the seeding list. The world number 21 will play Beate
Reinstadler of Austria in today's first-round match.

Second seed Wang Shi-ting of Chinese Taipei also begins her
campaign today, playing Kyoko Nagatsuka of Japan.

Yayuk will play her first-round match tomorrow against a
qualifier. The 25-year-old Indonesian, three-times a winner here
but without a title in the past two years, is drawn to meet Wang
in the semifinals before an awaited final clash against
Appelmans.

"Without top 20 players coming here, I have a great chance to
win the tournament," said world number 42 Yayuk.

Today, Augustine will face another Belgian Fed Cupper Nancy
Feber, while compatriot Enny Sulistyowati takes on American Erika
de Lone.

The organizers have decided that entry to the week-long
tournament, being played at the Senayan tennis complex, is free
of charge. (05)