Top players turn down national tennis team

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)