Yayuk could pose a threat at Wimbledon

Yayuk could pose a threat at Wimbledon

By Bruce Emond

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's Yayuk Basuki carved out another
distinction for herself this past week by reaching the semifinals
of Eastbourne, the favored women's warm-up tournament for
Wimbledon.

Yayuk, despite losing 0-6, 5-7 to American Meredith McGrath,
proved that she ranks today as one of the top 10 women players on
grass and will be a threat to any player as Wimbledon opens
today.

Played at Devonshire Park on the blustery English coast,
Eastbourne has served as the site of many memorable matches,
particularly in the late 1970s when Chris Evert and Martina
Navratilova engaged in brilliant finals.

Yayuk has no reason to hang her head in shame after the loss
to McGrath, one of the world's top doubles stars. The American,
who returned to competition last year after being sidelined for
many months with a hip injury, has one of the hardest serves in
the game and also has a stinging forehand.

The 24-year-old Indonesian also recorded a third-round win
over Helena Sukova, the brilliant Czech serve-and-volleyer whose
game has picked up since she reached the final of the U.S. Open
last year.

This was undoubtedly Yayuk's best showing in a major
tournament. Although she has won at least one title over the last
four years, Yayuk's victories came at US$100,000 tournaments, the
lowest level of competition on the Women's Tennis Association
(WTA) tour, and all of them were in Asia.

Eastbourne, with prize money totaling $400,000, is one of the
top tiers of tournaments.

Wimbledon

Yayuk has a tough draw this year at Wimbledon, where for the
past two years she made tennis history by becoming one of only
two Asian women to reach the fourth round, or last 16, of the
tournament.

Her first round opponent, Natalia Medvedeva of the Ukraine, is
currently ranked 24th and last year took Gabriela Sabatini to a
close third set before losing at Wimbledon.

At her best, Yayuk should have the measure of the powerful but
pudgy Medvedeva, the older sister of men's star Andrei Medvedeva.

If she passes the first-round test, Yayuk should meet
Magdalena Maleeva, who she upset in the third round last year.

Medvedeva had to retire injured at 2-5 down to Elna Reinach of
South Africa at Eastbourne. Yayuk beat Reinach in the next round.

Magdelena is probably the most talented of the trio of Maleeva
sisters and also the most adventurous. While the now-retired
Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere and Katerina Maleeva are classic
baseliners whose only forays to the net were to shake hands at
the end of the match, Magdalena can mix up her game and serve and
volley.

Once again, if Yayuk is at the top of her form, she should be
able to overcome the Bulgarian's challenge.

From that point, Yayuk should have confidence to meet her next
opponents. In the same section of her draw are the mercurial
Natalia Zvereva, beleaguered 1991 finalist Zina Garrison-Jackson
and talented serve and volleyer Nicole Arendt, who Yayuk defeated
in Jakarta earlier this year.

Other players to watch this year at Wimbledon are brilliant
Dutch player Miriam Oremans, who could well upset Jana Novotna in
the first round, and former U.S. college standout Lisa Raymond.

Yayuk could well be the player to spring some surprises this
year. She has the support of husband Suharyadi, who is also her
coach, and doubles partner Nana Miyagi, who came through the
qualifying for a place in the main Wimbledon draw.

Look for some surprises from Yayuk's racket. It may just be
the shot in the arm that women's tennis, currently suffocated by
a dearth of interesting players and rendered almost colorless by
the Steffi Graf tour, needs to get fans back in the stands.