Yayuk upsets Sabatini in exhibition

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian number one Yayuk Basuki edged ahead in her two-match exhibition series with Argentina's Gabriela Sabatini by posting a routine 6-2, 6-2 victory at the Kemayoran Tennis Center last night.

There were flashes of brilliance from the 24-year-old Yayuk. She played well within her limits as a listless Sabatini effectively handed the match to her through dozens of unforced errors and double faults.

It was Yayuk's first win in four matches against Sabatini, the U.S. Open champion in 1990 and currently ranked number nine on the Women's Tennis Association computer.

"I am tired," Sabatini admitted in the post-match interview. "I only arrived here yesterday." Sabatini reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open in New York last week, losing to eventual champion Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario.

The dearth of long rallies and inspired play did not seem to disappoint the full capacity crowd which turned out to watch two of the most stylish women players on the circuit today.

The Indonesian spectators, the subject of some criticism during recent international tournament and team competitions held here, proved themselves to be fair and knowledgeable about the game, with many giving vocal support to Sabatini as her game became increasingly ragged.

Promising

Sabatini began the match on a promising note with an ace, but quickly followed with a double fault. She went on to serve another double in the same game. Yayuk broke serve by persevering through what proved to be one of the few matches with long exchanges from the baseline.

Yayuk held serve and seemed poised to take a 3-0 lead as Sabatini reeled off three more double faults, including two in a row. But the Indonesian's impatience, as she attempted to hit clean winners off every short ball, allowed Sabatini to salvage the game.

The pattern continued for the rest of the set. Sabatini's lethargy was glaringly obvious as she served a staggering 12 double faults in the first set alone, with an embarrassing four double faults in her final service game which gave Yayuk the first set.

Most of the faults were caused by second serves landing in the bottom of net as a tentative Sabatini seemed wary of serving too short and risking an Indonesian foray to the net.

With her service game completely awry, Sabatini was also unable to find any range off her groundstrokes. Her topspin backhands landed ineffectively around the service line, giving Yayuk ample time to pick her spot and fire forehand winners into the corner.

Topspin

Sabatini's weaker forehand, hit with heavy topspin to keep opponents pinnned to the baseline, was of little assistance. Yayuk countered by hitting heavy slices off her backhand.

Sabatini seemed both unwilling and unable to change a losing game. She served and volleyed once throughout the entire match, coming in only when drawn by short balls.

Yayuk, now enjoying a career-high ranking of 28, settled down after hitting some leaden forehands in the first few games and quickly realized that the best strategy was to patiently trade groundstrokes until the out-of-sorts Sabatini made the error.

Despite some enthusiastic cheers from the crowd, Sabatini could not rally to force a third set. She could not convert breakpoints as Yayuk served for the match at 5-2 and the exhibition ended as the Indonesian pounced on a mishit forehand volley.

Sabatini will have an opportunity to redeem herself when the second and final exhibition match is held this Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Kemayoran. (bje)

Photo -- Page 10