Tedjakusuma will lead the 2009 campaign along with two young girls

Surabaya born Romana Tedjakusuma will start her 2009 pro tour in Boca Raton, Florida as she is listed as number 9 in qualifying round as at December 31, 2008. Tedjakusuma ended her ranking at 360, while Sandy Gumulya at WTA 296. In this 25K tourney, the surface is going to be on clay and it is indeed quite challenging for the players. Top seed is American Angela Haynes (WTA 139) and the main draw will begin on January 12, 2009. Tedjakusuma will continue on to play at Lutz, Florida - another 25K tourney and it will be played on clay also. She is listed as number 18 in qualifying round as per December 30, 2008. Haynes is still the top seed in this tournament which will start on January 19, 2009.

In girls' category, updates have been released as at today - December 31, 2008 for all three tournaments in Australia. At Traralgon ITF grade 1, Beatrice Gumulya is number 9 in the main draw, while her compatriot Grace Sari Ysidora has moved up to number 37 also in the main draw. In Nottinghill ITF Grade 1, Gumulya is now number 12 in the main draw, while Ysidora has jumped to number 5 in qualifying round. At the prestigious Aussie Open Grand Slam, Gumulya is number 16 of the main draw list and last but not least, Ysidora has slightly climbed-up to number 14 in qualifying round.

In the meantime, two other junior players David Agung Susanto and Nadia Frederika withdrew from all three tournaments as per December 26, 2008 with undisclosed personal reasons.

Nut so Delhi-cious after all to end 2008

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

Four Indonesians are gearing-up for Australian Summer Circuit

The official entry list of Australian Summer Circuit was released on December 18, 2008 at 5 pm local time in Melbourne. In the first Grade 1 tourney known as "Loy Yang Power Traralgon Junior ITF International" - Beatrice Gumulya is number 9 in the girls' main draw while Grace Sari Ysidora is number 39 out of total 48 direct acceptance. In the mean time, Nadia Frederika is qualifying # 6. In the boys' main draw, David Agung Susanto is barely listed as number 47 out of total 48 entrants. This first warm-up tourney for Aussie Open will begin on January 9, 2009 in Traralgon, Victoria.

The second warm-up Grade 1 tourney is entitled "Optus Nottinghill Junior ITF International" and only Gumulya is eligible in the girls' main draw at number 14. Ysidora is listed as number 9 in qualifying round, while Frederika is still alternate number 4. The only boy Susanto is at number 12 in qualifying round. The main draw of this tourney will start on January 16, 2009 in Nottinghill, Victoria.

And the moment of truth, the first grand slam of the new season or "Australian Open Junior Championships" is not much different parade of players as Gumulya is number 17 in the girls' main draw. Ysidora is number 17 in qualifying, while Frederika is still alternate number 13. Last but not least, Susanto is number 17 in the boys' qualifying list. The main draw will not be played until January 25, 2009.

The newly crowned Junior World Champion by ITF, currently world numero uno Noppawan "Nok" Lertcheewakarn of Thailand is placed as top seed in all these three tournaments. She became the first Asian ever to receive such top honour. Lertcheewakarn finished at 2008 Wimby as runner-up and won doubles' title at 2008 US Open with Sweden's Sandra Roma.

For the boys, Yang Tsung-Hua also got the same crown and the first ever Asian player to get this honor. Yang clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking at last week’s Junior Orange Bowl, the final tournament of the season. The 17-year-old from Chinese Taipei captured his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, and was also a finalist at the Australian Open and semifinalist at the US Open. Yang also captured two Grand Slam doubles titles with countryman Hsieh Cheng-Peng, at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. He finished the season with a 20-7 record in singles and 25-6 in doubles. Yang is not competing in this upcoming Aussie summer circuit.

Photo of Gumulya is courtesy of indotennis.com

Photo of Ysidora is courtesy of Dwi Ari Setyadi

Towering Davenport is out of Blue Aussie Open due to second pregnancy

Many loyal fans of former world No 1 Lindsay Davenport must be patient to witness her on the tour again as she has pulled out of the Australian Open after discovering she is pregnant with her second child.

Australian Open officials had conveyed last week that Davenport, who won the last of her three Grand Slam singles titles at Melbourne in 2000, would play in this year's tournament which begins on January 19.

Quoting what Davenport said in a statement, "Of course this unexpected but exciting surprise now means I will be putting tennis on hold for the foreseeable future."

Davenport made strong and impressive return after giving birth of her first son Jagger and post-natal period of exactly one year, only in her first tourney after such hiatus, this Palos Verdes born won Bali in September 2007 by beating Daniela Hantuchova. Then she went on to reach semi-final at Beijing and grabbed another title in Quebec.

This season, Davenport played only 8 tourneys including three grand slams and she began her campaign with a title in Auckland. She demonstrated her competitiveness with another title in Memphis. In grand slams, Davenport finished round of 64 in Australian Open and Wimby, while at home in the Big Apple's US Open, she ended in round of 32. We will miss you, Lindsay yet we are happy for you with such wonderful news!

Photos of Davenport are courtesy of commbanktennis.com

Nadia Ravita paid the price of defeat at Prince Cup

The only Indonesian qualified into the main draw from qualifying round, Nadia Ravita gave her fighting attitude against Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus in the second round or round of 32. Sasnovich played better than Ravita in important moments and she showed her mental toughness to win 6-4, 2-6, 6-2. During the match, Ravita experienced leg strain or injury precaution. Indeed it is really tough field and competition as the draw is 64 same as Grand Slam tourneys.

Ravita is actually partnered with Japanese Sanae Ota and they were scheduled to play the opening round against Mara Schmidt/Jaime Yapp Shing from USA. Ravita was prohibited by the tourney's doctor to play doubles due to leg strain and if she insisted to play the match then she will have much worst injury. Thus the American pair, Schmidt/Yapp Shing did not play at all though Ota/Ravita and them were present on the court then Ravita called a quit and retired.

Back in 1998 winner of girls' singles here at Prince Cup was Belgian Kim Clijsters who dispatched Venezuelan Milagros Sequera 6-7, 6-3, 6-1.

Picture of Sequera is courtesy of tourney website

Nadia Ravita romped into round of 32 at Prince Cup

Jakarta resident Nadia Ravita began her single's campaign with a first round victory over Japanese Maiko Yamashita 6-3, 6-0 at "Prince Cup", an ITF Grade 4 tourney took place at Miccosukee Golf & Country Club in Miami, Florida. Both players are 14 years old but Ravita is only 2 days older than Yamashita. They made it into the main draw after both of them won 3 matches in the qualifying round.

As 13th seed in the qualifying round, Ravita defeated 16 years old American Sarah Pham 6-1, 6-3, then the daughter of Hawin Sutopo and Lukky Tedjamukti booted out 18 years old Austrian Lisa Wagner 6-2, 6-0. Eventually in the final qualifying Ravita won easily over top seed Brazilian Laura Pigossi Herrmann De Andrade 6-2, 6-0.

Another Indonesian player, Melissa Emile Kandinata crashed out immediately to 16th seed Tamara Bizhukova of Russia 4-6, 1-6 in the first round of qualifying. A major upset was made by lucky loser Solene Ficheux of France after she barely won over top seed Daria Gavrilova from Russia 6-2, 1-6, 6-4.

Photo of Gavrilova is from ITF website

Rungkat and Tananta showered with money

Fifth seeded Christopher Rungkat and third seeded Lavinia Tananta became the champion of "Garuda Indonesia Tennis Masters". Rungkat took men's singles title after an easy victory over eighth seeded Nesa Arta 6-2, 6-0. While in the earlier final of women's singles, Tananta rallied past top seeded Ayu Fani Damayanti 6-4, 7-5.

The year-end big bang of all five series as part of “Garuda Indonesia Tennis Series” provided total prize money of 500 million rupiahs. As both Rungkat and Tananta were undefeated since group's round-robin, therefore each of them pocketed 80 million rupiahs as the winner along with undefeated bonus of 20 million rupiahs. In addition, both champs got holiday package to Bali by Garuda Indonesia including hotel accomodation at Sanur Beach Hotel for 3 days.

Top seeded Damayanti was red hot favorite to win this event as most of the fans voiced their opinion. Personally I was in favor of Tananta as the eventual winner of this prestigious creme de la creme of national players' showdown. I was confident to see Tananta as the champion based on my observation along the week. Tananta showed her solid attacking strategy, good serve, strong mental toughness and physical fitness. While Ayu in terms of her game, her consistency already diminished abruptly in the semi-final as she scared by young yet talented Grace Sari Ysidora. In addition, the results during this year was in favor of Tananta as she was ahead 2-1 in her international head to head with Damayanti. Such recent victory by Tananta over Damayanti was at Manila 10K's final when Tananta defeated Damayanti 6-1, 6-4 last month.

It was indeed what happened to Damayanti in the final against Tananta, the Balinese girl did not perform at her best. She made good number of unforced errors and seemed lack of focus. In contrast Tananta played very well with her solid groundstroke, persistency as well as good fighting spirit. Tananta never won a title over the previous five series, while Damayanti grabbed three titles.

In men's singles, Rungkat was simply dominating the match against Arta. The Balinese player Arta only could level-up with Rungkat up to early 4 games in the opening set. Rungkat was able to win men's doubles title with his senior, Andrian Raturandang after gunned down top seed Hendri Susilo Pramono/Arta 6-4, 7-5. In women's doubles, top seed pair Damayanti/Liza Andriyani edged past fourth seed Septi Mende/Grace Sari Ysidora 6-1, 6-4.

All photos above by Adji Soedibjo