Uzbekistan takes 2-0 lead over Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): Uzbekistan's Oleg Ogorodov and Vadim Kutsenko defied the broiling temperatures at the Kemayoran Tennis Center in Central Jakarta to take a 2-0 lead over Indonesia on Friday in their Davis Cup Asia Oceania zone Group I match.

Ogorodov received a tough challenge from Suwandi in the first match, but was able to pull out a 6-7 (6-8), 7-5, 6-1, 6-0 victory. And Kutsenko had numerous double faults but still managed to tame Andrian Raturandang 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-3.

Ogorodov, ranked number 226 in the world, used a powerful serve to wear down Suwandi. The Indonesian needed all his skills to win the first set, but Ogorodov was physically more prepared to play under the scorching sun, and it showed in the next three sets.

Suwandi took a 3-0 lead in the second set but the 28-year-old Ogorodov, Uzbekistan number two player, cut down on his unforced errors to pull equal at 3-3.

But in the next game he hit several backhands that went awry, giving Suwandi a 4-3 lead. But Ogorodov pulled himself together to eventually take the set.

The Indonesian crowd was shocked when Suwandi threw up on the court's sideline. The 423 ranked player in the world had little energy, and it was clear the rest of the match would bring more pain than gain.

"I don't know why I threw up during the match. I've never experienced that before. I lost my energy afterward. I'm very disappointed with the result, but personally I was happy to be able to steal a game from a world-class player like Ogorodov. He used up all my strength," Suwandi said during a postmatch media conference.

After the exhausting match, Ogorodov expressed his confidence that Uzbekistan would finish off Indonesia in Saturday's doubles match before the reverse singles on Sunday.

"It's OK for me to perform in the doubles after today's match. I will only play two games," he said.

Ogorodov will pair with Dmitriy Tomashevich against the veteran Indonesian duo of Bonit Wiryawan and Sulistyo Wibowo on Saturday.

In the second singles match on Friday, Andrian surprised the crowd with his stiff resistance to Kutsenko, Uzbekistan's number one player.

The players were tied 3-3 in the final set when Andrian asked for a medical time-out to get treatment for a thigh injury. Andrian, who is ranked 1,023 in the world, found it difficult to move throughout the match against Kutsenko.

"Kutsenko made so many unforced errors because he underestimated me, and I think God did not want me to be humiliated," said Andrian.

Indonesia's nonplaying captain, Tintus Arianto Wibowo, admitted his men were outclassed by the Uzbekistan players.

"Our players are physically weaker than the Uzbekistan players. Moreover, our opponents have much better world rankings. We are like a ping-pong ball to them. Next time, we should prepare better."

He also expressed hope that Indonesia could win Saturday's doubles match. "If we lose again, we are finished."

In Langfan City, host China and India were level at 1-1 in their first round Davis Cup tie. Yu Wang lost to Leander Paes 6- 4, 0-6, 0-6, 4-6, but compatriot Yu Zhang took revenge by defeating Fazaluddin Syed 6-4, 6-1, 6-0, Reuters reported.

In Seoul, AP reported that South Korea and New Zealand were tied 1-1 after the opening singles matches in their Asia-Oceania regional zone Davis Cup match on Friday.

South Korea's Lee Hyung-taik, the world's No. 87 player, beat New Zealand's Alistair Hunt 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 (9-6) in the first singles at Seoul's Olympic Park indoor court. Hunt is not registered in the ATP rankings.

In the other singles match, Mark Nielsen, New Zealand's number one player and ranked 261 in the world, defeated South Korea's Lee Seung-hun 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 9-7.

Lee, whose career peaked with a fourth round showing at the U.S. Open last year, will team up with Kim Dong-hyun to face Hunt and James Greenhalgh in the doubles match on Saturday. (ivy)