Yayuk Basuki named Fed Cup team coach

JAKARTA (JP): Shortly after her retirement from competitive tennis at this month's Australian Open, Yayuk Basuki will embark on a new career as a coach of the women's national team.

The secretary-general of the Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti), Sugeng Sarjadi, said on Thursday that Yayuk was expected to make her international coaching debut at the Fed Cup Asia Oceania qualifying tournament in Bangkok next month.

The world number 55, fresh from her Asian Games victory last December, was also named the team's playing captain, although Sugeng said her appearance on the court would depend on the situation in the squad.

"She is not expected to form the backbone of the team, but rather serve as a stand-in for the doubles match," Sugeng said as quoted by Antara.

Sugeng met Yayuk at the Pelti office on Thursday.

Yayuk last played in the Fed Cup in March 1997 at the Asia Oceania qualifying tournament in Wellington, New Zealand, which Indonesia won. Later that year, a Yayuk-less Indonesia suffered a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Italy in a World Group qualifying match here.

Sugeng said that Yayuk would once again team up with Suzanna Anggarkusuma, this time around to drill the young Fed Cup squad. Yayuk and Suzanna won back-to-back gold medals in the Asian Games women's doubles in 1986 and 1990.

Yayuk said she was looking forward to training juniors who would one day fill her shoes.

"I won't hang up my racket altogether because there are new challenges in tennis still waiting for me. I hope I will enjoy them," Yayuk said.

Pelti has invited Wynne Prakusya, Irawati Moerid, Wukirasih, Liza Andriyani, Frederika Girsang, Angelique Wijaya and Dea Sumantri to train for the Fed Cup outing. Dea earned her first chance to fight for a place in the team after winning both the singles and doubles titles at the recent national junior championships in Bali.

The Fed Cup squad will train at the Kemayoran tennis complex in Central Jakarta.

Sugeng said that Indonesia would encourage young players to don the national colors in as many international events as possible.

Indonesia is also currently preparing for the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Group II qualifying match against Qatar in Doha from Feb. 12 to Feb. 14.

A win will give Indonesia home advantage in the next round. (amd)