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)