Yayuk-Sabatini match may be just a dream
JAKARTA (JP): A planned exhibition match between superstar Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina and Indonesia's top player Yayuk Basuki is dangling in the balance.
Yayuk, whose Women Tennis Association ranking has risen to 28, is scheduled to play Sabatini in exhibition matches on Sept. 14 and 16. The match's organizer, Pelita Jaya, released a press report yesterday saying that Sabatini will arrive here on Sept. 13.
Yayuk, however, has threatened to leave the national team for good, Kompas daily reported yesterday, adding that Eddy Katimansah, the secretary general of the Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti), told reporters he would bar Yayuk from taking part in the exhibition match.
Yayuk made the comment at the ongoing U.S. Open in New York in which she was ousted in the first round on Tuesday 3-6, 4-6 by South African Mariaan de Swardt.
Eddy said Pelti has decided to not organize or approve any exhibition match and will instead concentrate on the other tournaments scheduled for here until the end of this year.
From Sept. 23 to 25, for instance, Indonesia will battle Switzerland in a Davis Cup match. And in November, Jakarta will host the men's doubles ATP tournament which will feature the world's eight best men's players.
Both Yayuk and her coach, Suharyadi, called Pelti's reason unacceptable. Yayuk also threatened to withdraw from Indonesia's Asian Games team.
Yayuk, was also not allowed to meet world number one Steffi Graf of Germany in an exhibition match earlier this year in Jakarta.
Yayuk said she felt humiliated by Pelti's decision to bar her from meeting Graf and feared that if her match with Sabatini was also annulled, Indonesia's tennis image would be tarnished in the eyes of foreign players.
Sabatini was reported to have told Yayuk that she would perform in two exhibition matches against her. Previously the two had been scheduled to meet in three matches in Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali.
Sabatini defeated Yayuk at a tournament in Canada two weeks ago. (arf)