Yayuk exempted from official 13th Asian Games training

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Tennis Association has exempted the country's women's number one player Yayuk Basuki from taking part in its training program for the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok.

Boedi Basuki, Yayuk's father, said in Yogyakarta, Central Java, yesterday that his daughter was exempted from following the official training program because she would conduct her own training.

"Yayuk promised that she would participate in the national training two or three months before the Bangkok Games," Boedi said as quoted by Antara.

Boedi was responding to query's about why Yayuk was not included in the training squad lineup for the Asian Games announced by Pelti. The Asian Games will be held from Dec. 6 to Dec. 20.

Yayuk and coach Soerharyadi, who is also her husband, are resting in Bali after competing in the Australian Open grand slam tennis tournament in Sydney which ended last Sunday.

Yayuk made it into the semifinals at the Open but was defeated by world number one Martina Hingis of Switzerland 6-0, 6-0. Yayuk was suffering from a back injury at the time.

Yayuk is now ranked 20th in the world having moved up four points following her successes in a number of international tournaments including the Australian Open.

Yayuk is scheduled to return to Yogyakarta today before coming to Jakarta.

The association exempted Yayuk from the training program because she is considered a professional player and she has a tight schedule of international tournaments.

"Actually it is not a problem if Yayuk is not included among the athletes for the Bangkok Games," Boedi said.

Hindarto, the National Sports Council's Asiad task force chairman, had said Tuesday that Yayuk was not included among the 10 players proposed by the association for the Asiad.

"We will still place Yayuk in the team for the Asian Games. Yayuk has agreed to be in the team," he said.

The 10 players listed by the association for the Games training squad were Andrian Raturandang, Dede Suhendar, Bonit Wiryawan, Yusmawan, Sulistyo Wibowo (men's squad), Wynne Prakusya, Enny Sulistyowati, Wukirasih Sawondari, Irawati Moerid and Mudarwati (women's squad).

Yayuk Basuki Management (YBM), meanwhile, said that Yayuk had no comment on the Asiad.

"Yayuk will leave the matter to the association and the council," YBM said.

Yayuk has suffered from back injuries several times before and has had treatment in Jakarta. The injury has forced her to withdraw from two tournaments, the Gaz de France Open in France on Feb. 9 and the Faber Grand Prix in Hannover, Germany on Feb. 16.

She is expected is to compete in the Austrian EA Generali women's championships in Linz, Austria on Feb. 23. (lnt)