Yayuk and Wynne join Fed Cup team

JAKARTA (JP): Veteran Yayuk Basuki and her junior, Wynne Prakusya, were named members of the Fed Cup Asia Oceania, Group I in Osaka, Japan, from April 25 to April 30, the Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) spokesman Benny Mailili said on Monday.

Benny said that Pelti would pick up two other players based on the national ranking at the end of February, one to play in the doubles event and the other as substitute.

"Team positions will be decided after the Niaga Cigna Open 2000, the first and second Indonesia Women's Circuit and the other local and international tournaments in which the players take part, before we announce the full team" he told reporters on Monday.

Besides Indonesia, Group I consists of host Japan, Thailand, South Korea, China, the Philippines, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and New Zealand. The winner of Group I will compete in the qualifying round of the world group while the two bottom finishers will be directly relegated to Group II.

Yayuk has a special WTA rank of 86th on the singles list and 16th on the doubles. Wynne is ranked 182th in singles but in doubles she is still in the 300s.

Benny said that Pelti's official in charge of athletes development Sudjiono Timan had asked the Davis Cup team to resume practices. "I have asked coach Deddy Prasetyo to accustom themselves to play in an indoor stadium, because we will compete on that kind of court in Malaysia," he said.

Team members Suwandi, Febi Widhiyanto, Hendri Susilo Pramono and Edy Kusdaryanto will play in Malaysia at Kuala Lumpur tennis center from April 7 to April 9. The winner will face either Pakistan or Chinese Taipei for a promotion to Group I. (ivy)