The current number one of Indonesia Sandy Gumulya as per this week experienced her rank plummetted from WTA 250 to WTA 298. This new world rank is indeed lower than Gumulya's year-end rank at 243 in 2007. This week she participated in her 15th tourney of the season at “2008 Dunlop World Challenge Tennis Tournament”.
This tournament is fully sponsored by Toyota with total prize money of $ 75,000 and is staged at Sky Hall Toyota in Taraflex carpet indoor located in the city of Toyota, Aichi-prefecture, Japan. In the first round Gumulya crashed out immediately after defeated by lefty 18 years old from China, Han Xinyun 2-6, 3-6.
As the main draw was released last Sunday (11/23/2008), I have predicted that Gumulya would not have an easy match and even it was possible to lose in the end. I have met Han and witnessed her match at 2008 WTA Pattaya Open in early February. Despite her loss in the first round of qualifying against her compatriot Xu Yi-Fan in three sets, I acknowledged this Gemini girl as persistent, tough and equipped with quite solid ground strokes.
I was amazed with her track of record as rookie in pro level. In her first ever pro tourney in the month of November 2007, Han was given wild card in the main draw of 75K at Xiamen, China. She only bowed out to Chan Yung-Jan of Chinese Taipei in the quarter-final. This week in Toyota, it is her 13th tourney of the year. In doubles, Han's performance has been good as again in Xiamen she grabbed doubles title with Xu Yi-Fan. While her partnership with Xu reached its peak when they finished as runner-up at China Open Tier II in Beijing last September. It was no surprise at all that former tennis queen of Japan, Kimiko Date-Krumm requested Han to be her doubles partner at Toyota this week.
In the meantime, Gumulya agreed to partner with Kiwi Sacha Jones, a young New Zealander who was recently outclassed by Ayu Fani Damayanti in the final at Manila 10K this past week-end. Duo Gumulya/Jones put a strong fight in the opening round but eventually they were ousted by Yuka Kuroda/Ksenia Lykina (Japan/Russia) 6-3, 3-6, 5-10.
Photo is courtesy of commbanktennis.com
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