First expected news came from numero uno of Indonesia, Sandy Gumulya who was at WTA 292 when she withdrew from Women's Challenger in New Delhi, India on December 16, 2008. In the semi-final of recent "Garuda Indonesia Tennis Masters" she retired in the second set when she played against Lavinia Tananta and told the reporters that she felt like she was "flying". Gumulya who is now at WTA 294 as at December 22, 2008 had to pull out from the main draw at Delhi 50K due to possible typhoid. Based on the latest information, older sister of Beatrice Gumulya will focus only on her training as preparation for Fed Cup qualifying of Asia Oceania Group I in Perth, Australia from February 4-7, 2009.
Meanwhile, despite Gumulya's withdrawal, two other players from "Big Mama" camp were playing the qualifying round at R K Khanna Stadium. They were fifth seed Lavinia Tananta and sixth seed Ayu Fani Damayanti. In the first round of qualifying, the winner of "Garuda Indonesia Tennis Masters" and is currently ranked at WTA 581, crushed a local wild card Sadhana Athreya 6-0, 6-0. While Damayanti (now at WTA 589) dispatched Kumari-Sweta Solanki of India 6-1, 6-2. In the second round of qualifying, Tananta bowed out to 17 years old Slovak Romana Tabakova (currently at WTA 703) 2-6, 4-6. Damayanti kept her winning match by defeating local player Vishakha Sheoran 6-0, 6-0. In the final qualifying, Damayanti lost to 16 years old and second seed Ganna Piven of Ukraine (currently at WTA 530) 3-6, 2-6.
Slovak prodigy Tabakova grabbed her maiden title in pro circuit at Ilawa, Poland 10K last August. Eventually this Slovak cruised into the main draw of Delhi 50K as she won over fourth seed Margarita Edinarova of Russia 6-3, 6-0 in the final qualifying. In her first 50K in Barnstaple, Great Britain last October, Tabakova was beaten by 28 years old German Sabine Klaschka in the final qualifying. Klaschka had her highest career ranking at WTA 133 in 2005. As an active junior player, Tabakova is now ranked ITF 47 and she had an impressive run at Wimbledon 2008 when as qualifier she ended-up in the semi-final after losing to the eventual winner, Laura Robson of Great Britain. Earlier in the season, at Nottinghill Grade 1 in Australia, Tabakova outclassed Indonesian Jessy Rompies 6-3, 6-2 in the round of 32.
In doubles, duo Damayanti/Tananta made an early exit after they were ousted by Piven and Anastasiya Vasylyeva both from Ukraine 4-6, 1-6 in the first round.
Photo of Tabakova is courtesy of Stephane Martinache
Picture of Tananta is courtesy of Dwi Ari Setyadi
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