Gumulya, Damayanti, Rompies reached quarter-finals in the land of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

Three players of "Big Mama" elite camp, top seed Sandy Gumulya, unseeded Ayu Fani Damayanti and qualifier Jessy Rompies were among winners of second round matches today at "ASB Pro Circuit" in Hamilton, New Zealand. Gumulya seemed too strong for South African qualifier Lizaan Du Plessis as Indonesian current numero uno crushed her 6-0, 6-1. In quarter-final tomorrow, Gumulya will have back to back battle against her compatriot Damayanti after the Balinese cruised past seventh seed Estelle Guisard of France 6-3, 6-1. The youngest of "Big Mama" entourage, Rompies got her revenge and defeated sixth seed South Korean Chae Kyung-Yee 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-2 in their second meeting just after last week in North Shore City. Rompies will challenge fourth seed Noppawan "Nok" Lertcheewakarn of Thailand in the last eight round. Today, Lertcheewakarn had an easy match as she saw-off Japanese Yurina Koshino 6-2, 6-0. In senior pro level, the only meeting between Rompies and Lertcheewakarn was at Bangkok 10K in 2007 and Chiang Mai born girl won as she came back with 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-1 victory. All in all, Lertcheewakarn still leads 3-0 in her head to head with Rompies including two victories in ITF junior circuit. Their last meeting was in the final of Asian/Oceania Closed Championships or ITF Grade B1 tourney in Balikpapan, Indonesia when Rompies bowed out to Nok 4-6, 2-6 last October.

In doubles, Rompies/Varatchaya Wongteanchai cruised into final as they won easily over second seed duo Alison Bai/Renee Binnie of Australia 6-3, 6-1 in semi-final today. The other semi-final match was between top seed pair Hao Jie/Zhang Ling (China/Hong Kong) and fourth seed pair Kim So-Jung/Ayaka Maekawa (South Korea/Japan). Duo Kim/Maekawa surprised the top seed pair Hao/Zhang in a close match and eventually won 6-4, 6-4.

Second seed Hwang I-Hsuan of Chinese Taipei also secured her ticket to quarter-final as she ousted South Korean qualifier Kim Hae-Sung 6-1, 6-1. Next she will meet eighth seed Ayaka Maekawa of Japan who disposed qualifier Hao Jie of China 6-3, 6-4. Third seed Montinee "Ploy" Tangphong of Thailand survived a challenge by local wild card Katherine Westbury and won 6-1, 4-6, 6-1. Tomorrow, Ploy will be up to play against fifth seed Zhang Ling of Hong Kong as the first leg winner of these 10K tourneys edged past another local wild card Dianne Hollands 7-6(3), 6-1.

Photo of Jessy Rompies by Adji Soedibjo

Date-Krumm, Muhammed, Granville through in Redding, California

In a tourney with total prize money of US $ 25,000 at "2009 USTA Women's Pro Challenger of Redding" in Redding, California, USA, Japanese Kimiko Date-Krumm, once ranked at WTA 4 and seventh seed here, gave a lesson to young lucky loser of California, Christina Mc Hale and sealed 6-2, 6-3 victory in the opening round. Former tennis queen of Japan Date-Krumm will battle with her junior, Aiko Nakamura who ousted German qualifier Andrea Petkovic 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.

First upset occured when second seed Angelique Kerber of Germany (WTA 115) was beaten by Greek Anna Gerasimou (WTA 200) 5-7, 4-6. Another shock of the day was created by local wild card Asia Muhammed as she edged past eighth seed Tomoko Yonemura of Japan 7-5, 6-3 in the first round. Then the teenager from Las Vegas will play against qualifier and rising star Ajla Tomljanovic from Croatia in the second round. Meanwhile qualifier but experienced Laura Granville from Chicago disposed lucky loser Arina Rodionova, younger sister of Anastasia Rodionova from Russia. Granville had close match but she prevailed 7-6(2), 6-4. Rodionova replaced top seed Anastasia Yakimova who eventually pulled out of the tourney.

Another young American Madison Brengle also advanced in the second round after she won over Aussie qualifier Johanna Konta 6-1, 3-2 retired. The other seeded players such as third seed Stephanie Dubois of Canada, fourth seed Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland, fifth seed Masa Zec-Peskiric from Slovenia, sixth seed Italian Alberta Brianti all moved on to the next round.

Other Asian players like qualifier Shikha Uberopi of India, Yuan Meng of China and Japanese Rika Fujiwara also advanced into the second round.

Gumulya and Rompies cruised into second round in Kiwi fruit land

Top seed Sandy Gumulya and qualifier Jessy Rompies passed their first round as they claimed victory today at ASB Waikato Tennis Center, Hamilton, New Zealand. In the second week of "ASB Pro Circuit" tourney with total prize money of US $ 10,000 Gumulya began her campaign and defeated Australian Alison Bai 6-3, 6-1. In the second round, Indonesian number one will face qualifier South African Lizaan Du Plessis who outclassed Gumulya's compatriot Lavinia Tananta 6-1, 6-2 also in the opening round.

Recent junior graduate Rompies experienced tough fight from 28 years old Japanese Remi Tezuka but ten years younger Indonesian prevailed such thriller with 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 victory. In the next round, Rompies will have back to back clash with sixth seed Chae Kyung-Yee of South Korea.

Second seed Hwang I-Hsuan of Chinese Taipei also had back to back match with qualifier South Korean Kim So-Jung and once again, Hwang proved as better player and won 6-3, 7-6(3) in the opening round.

In doubles, duo Rompies and Varatchaya Wongteanchai of Thailand moved into semi-final after they edged past Thai duet Sophia Mulsap/Nungnadda Wannasuk 6-4, 7-5. In the last four round, Rompies/Wongteanchai will play against second seed pair Alison Bai/Renee Binnie of Australia.

Photo of Jessy Rompies by Adji Soedibjo

Damayanti secured her second round berth in the land of Haka dance

Balinese player Ayu Fani Damayanti did not waste her time to clinch her first round victory at "ASB Pro Circuit" in Hamilton, New Zealand today. In the second week tourney with total prize money of US $ 10,000 Damayanti eased past young Thai Varatchaya Wongteanchai 6-2, 6-2. In the second round on Thursday, she will play against seventh seed Estelle Guisard of France. Currently at WTA 370, 19 years old Guisard fought back to beat American Anna Wishink (WTA 495) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

The other three Indonesians, top seed Sandy Gumulya, unseeded Lavinia Tananta and qualifier Jessy Rompies are scheduled to play their opening campaign tomorrow. As for Damayanti and Tananta who are paired again this week, they lost easily in doubles as they were beaten by top seed duet Hao Jie/Zhang Ling (China/Hong Kong) 3-6, 0-6 in today's first round. On the other hand, Rompies/Wongteanchai edged past South Korean duo Chae Kyung-Yee/Shin Jung-Yoon 6-1, 7-5 and moved into quarter-final to play against Thai pair Sophia Mulsap/Nungnadda Wannasuk.

Meanwhile two Thai seeded players, third seed Montinee "Ploy" Tangphong and fourth seed Noppawan "Nok" Lertcheewakarn moved on to the second round, too. Tangphong had to give everything she had to defeat Japanese Ai Yamamoto 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. While up and coming Lertcheewakarn cruised past recently graduate of junior circuit and qualifier Aki Yamasoto of Japan 6-3, 6-3. Other winners of the opening round such as sixth seed Chae Kyung-Yee of South Korea who gunned down Ana-Clara Duarte of Brazil 6-1, 6-4; also qualifier Chinese Hao Jie saw off local prodigy Kairangi Vano 6-0, 7-6(5). Last but not least, in the battle of qualifiers, South Korean Kim Hae-Sung did not have much trouble to win 6-1, 6-2 over Nungnadda "Jib" Wannasuk of Thailand.

Picture of Ayu Fani Damayanti & Lavinia Tananta by Adji Soedibjo

Tedjakusuma failed into main draw in California

Romana Tedjakusuma is currently world ranked 357 and has resumed her tour after last action in Lutz, Florida in the third week of January, 2009. This week Surabaya born Tedjakusuma placed as 5th seed in the qualifying round at "2009 USTA Women's Pro Challenger of Redding" in Redding, California, USA. In a tourney with total prize money of US $ 25,000 Tedjakusuma had an opening qualifying round bye and yesterday in Q2 or final qualifying she was forced to play three sets and eventually lost to 16 years old and 13th seed Anna Orlik of Belarus 3-6, 6-0, 3-6. Orlik is currently at WTA 730.

Then Tedjakusuma will focus on her doubles as she is partnered with American Story Tweedie-Yates and they are designated as second seed which entitled to get first round bye. In the quarter-final, Tedjakusuma/Tweedie-Yates will face either Christina Mc Hale/Sloane Stephens (USA/USA) or Anna Gerasimou/Ksenia Palkina (Greece/Kyrgiztan).

It was interesting to know that 27 years old Laura Granville of Chicago, USA has returned to the tour after a year hiatus. Granville last appearance was in Midland 75K, Michigan when she claimed the title in February 2008. She reached her highest rank at WTA 28 in 2003. This time, she had to go through qualifying round and she got through as qualifier. She will be up to face an early challenge as she will play top seed Anastasia Yakimova (WTA 95) of Belarus in the first round. Second seed is German Angelique Kerber. Some Japanese are present here and the pack is led by former WTA 4 Kimiko Date-Krumm as seventh seed. Followed by eighth seed Tomoko Yonemura, Aiko Nakamura, Rika Fujiwara and talented Kurumi Nara. One of wild card recipients is Asia Muhammed of USA and she will give her early fight against Japanese Yonemura in the opening round.

Gumulya bowed out to Zhang in semi-final

Surprise and not surprise to find out the outcome of singles' semi-final between top seed Sandy Gumulya and sixth seed Zhang Ling of Hong Kong at "ASB Pro Circuit", a 10K tourney in North Shore City, New Zealand today. It was a nice revenge by Zhang as she edged past Gumulya 7-5, 6-2 and will have chance to grab her third 10K's title tomorrow. In 2006 at Jakarta 10K, Gumulya defeated Zhang 6-3, 6-1 in their first meeting. "Big Mama" elite camp plan was certainly ruined as its head coach thought it could have been easier for her "golden gal" to earn another 10K title here or it was most likely her 7th 10K's title. The heat is still on as the elite entourage will play in two remaining 10Ks in Kiwi land.

The other semi-final battle featured second seed Hwang I-Hsuan of Chinese Taipei and qualifier Kim So-Jung of South Korea. Hwang, 20 years old, is currently at WTA 318 and was playing her 5th 10K's semi-final today as she is in her quest to return to her best rank of WTA 266. Hwang's best result was at Taipei 100K last year when she finished in the second round. Once she experienced to play Aussie Open Grand Slam qualifying round in 2008 and she ended-up in the second round or Q2. Hwang proved as better player than two years older Kim and won easily 6-3, 6-0. Hwang will try to get her maiden 10K title tomorrow as her best outcome in 10K was only runner-up in Balikpapan 2005 and Tokyo 2008.

Meanwhile Kim, 22 years old, is now ranked at WTA 883 but in fact her highest rank was at WTA 282 in 2006. Today she emulated what she did as semi-finalist at Gimhae 10K in her own country last year. It was indeed an impressive run by Kim as qualifier and got into semi-final.

Sandy Gumulya moved into semi-final in the kingdom of Lord of the rings

From “ASB Pro Circuit” tournament with total prize money of US $ 10,000 in North Shore City, New Zealand, top seed Sandy Gumulya once again had another easy match as she edged past Ana-Clara Duarte of Brazil 6-1, 6-2 in quarter-final today. Therefore, the current numero uno of Indonesia,
Gumulya will appear in her 14th semi-finals of 10K and she will face sixth seed Zhang Ling, who was born in China but she has been playing for Hong Kong till now. In one of the quarter-finals today, Zhang had to put up with tough battle against South African qualifier, Lizaan Du Plessis but Zhang came from behind to win 6-7(1), 6-2, 6-4. Zhang is currently at WTA 367 and is still 19 years old. So far in her career, she has collected two titles of 10K in Wellington, New Zealand and Tokyo, Japan both in 2007. Her best achievement was at a tourney with total prize money of US $ 50,000 in New Delhi, India last December. The two players, Gumulya and Zhang have met once before at Jakarta 10K in 2006 and back then Gumulya cruised past Zhang 6-3, 6-1 in round 16.