Wukirasih retains title on RI circuit

Wukirasih retains title on RI circuit

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's Wukirasih Sawondari retained her
title in the women's singles at the first event of the 1999
Indonesia Circuit held at the Danamon Kemayoran Tennis Center on
Sunday after beating Switzerland's Diane Asensio 6-1, 6-4.

Wukirasih failed to win the doubles event with South Korean
partner Chae Kyung-yee, after losing to Indonesia's top doubles
team Liza Andriyani and Irawati Moerid Iskandar 4-6, 4-6.

Wukirasih, who was not included in the national team last
year, won the title for the second time. She defeated senior
Irawati on the 1997 circuit also in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.

"I'm glad and thankful for being able to win this circuit
(title)," she told Antara.

Hundreds of spectators barracked for the 19th Southeast Asian
Games gold medalist in women's single tennis, who only needed 67
minutes to defeat Asensio.

In the first set Wukirasih controlled the match, conceding
only one game to Asensio.

The Swiss tried to fight back and led 3-1 but Wukirasih
managed to equalize the score to 4-4. Self-confidently, the
Indonesian concluded the second set 6-4 with her accurate play.
She was the only Indonesian to reach the final after her
compatriots were defeated in the first and second rounds. (yan)