Top players turn down national tennis team

JAKARTA (JP): Three men's national players have declined to join the national selection, which is part of the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games preparation.

Men's singles Andrian Raturandang and men's doubles specialists Bonit Wiryawan and Sulistyo Wibowo turned down offers from the Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) to compete in the selection from June 23 to June 26.

As a consequence, the three athletes are not allowed to join the national squad for the biennial event, which will take place in Brunei Darussalam, from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15.

Pelti spokesman, Benny Mailili, said Andrian was too busy with tight international competition schedules including the US$15,000 satellite tournament in Japan.

Bonit and Sulistyo did not give a reason for withdrawal in the singles event tournament.

"Maybe they feel incapable to compete in the four-day singles events. We have no problem on their refusal because tennis is an individual sport and we don't want to force them," said Benny, who is also Pelti's deputy secretary-general.

He said the three were among 10 players invited to the selection. Seven other players -- Suwandi, Edy Kusdaryanto, Hendri Susilo Pramono, Febi Widhiyanto, Dede Suhendar, Sebastian Da Costa and Yusmawan Fahmi -- had confirmed joining the selection process.

They will be divided into two groups and will compete in the round-robin system. Winners and runners-up of both groups will team up for the Games.

Benny said on the women's side, the same selection will take place from July 1 to July 3. Irawati Moerid Iskandar, Frederika Girsang, Mudarwati, Liza Andriyani, Wukirasih Sawondari, Dea Sumantri, Angelique Widjaya and Romana Tedjakusuma were confirmed to participate, while world-ranked 190s Wynne Prakusya will automatically join the team.

Benny said to coach both men's and women's teams, Deddy Prasetyo and Suharyadi will give presentations on training methods and programs based on sports science, before Pelti's officials and other coaches on June 22.

"If anyone disagrees with the coaches' program, they can protest and make their evaluation on it. Other coaches can also offer themselves to train the women's and men's national teams," he said.

Pelti planned to stage a discussion by inviting 10 coaches who are obliged to expose their programs and methods. But Benny did not elaborate why the plan was canceled.

Suharyadi is currently training the women's team but Deddy will start the men's team training after the selection.(ivy)