Uzbekistan takes 2-0 lead over Indonesia

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)