Yayuk hopes to regaim glory in Indonesia Open

Yayuk hopes to regaim glory in Indonesia Open

JAKARTA (JP): Yayuk Basuki is likely to find the Indonesia
Women's Tennis Open championships, slated here from April 8 to
April 14, a crucial warm-up for the Federation Cup later in the
month.

The Indonesian tennis queen, knocked out of the semifinals
last year by acute diarrhea, is seeded third in the week-long
tournament, two places below her Fed Cup adversary Sabine
Appelmans of Belgium.

Both players will take a two-week break following the
US$164,250 Indonesia Open, before resuming their battle in the
Fed Cup first-rounder. Both tennis events will be held on
Senayan's rebound-ace courts.

Yayuk, whose world ranking plunged from 29th last year to 38th
as of Feb. 12, was the only Indonesian on the open's main draw
announced by the organizers yesterday.

Second to the Belgian world number 25 is American Marianne
Werdel Witmeyer, currently ranked 31st.

Appelmans, a key player on Belgium's Fed Cup team, might use
the tournament to test the Indonesian playing surface, tournament
director Eddy Katimansah told reporters yesterday.

Yayuk produced a hat trick in the women's tournament, which is
sponsored annually by private Bank Danamon, by winning the first
three held in 1992, 1993 and 1994.

Her upset semifinal exit here last year was followed by a
string of unimpressive performances by the Indonesian women's
singles number one, who finished the season without any titles.

If Yayuk flops in the tournament, her world ranking will drop.
"But she still has the chance of going to the Atlanta Olympic
Games if she does not go beyond 48," Eddy said.

There are 64 berths offered in the women's tennis competition
at the Summer Games, of which 48 are automatically given to the
world's top 48. The remaining 16 berths are wildcards to be
equally distributed among the International Tennis Federation's
eight world zones. "Wildcard recipients will be announced after
an ITF meeting next month," said Eddy.

Yayuk's doubles partner Romana Tedjakusuma, who is expected to
back up Yayuk in the Fed Cup, has shown interest in joining the
tournament, Eddy said.

"We will give her a wildcard if she wants," Eddy said, who is
also a gynecologist.

Romana, who is on scholarship at a university in Louisiana,
the United States, needs approval from her coach and school
director to take part in both the Open and the Fed Cup.

Eddy quoted Yayuk as saying that Romana will be available
three days before the Indonesia Open begins in April. But that is
too risky, Eddy said.

"Consider jet lag. If Romana is really serious, she should
come here at least three weeks before to acclimatize," he said.

Eddy added that former teenage tennis star Jennifer Capriati,
whose life was ruined by drug abuse, has been invited to the
tournament but has not responded yet. "She is a living example of
how fragile and painful adolescence can be. Yet she has managed
to come back. That's why we have invited her," Eddy said. (arf)