15 September 2003

Indonesian ace and Asia new generation hope Anqelique Widjaja has confirmed her participation in the forthcoming AL Habtoor Tennis Challenge schedule between the period of 13 - 19 October at the Metropolitan Resort and Beach Club.

"Angei" won the tournament last year with an impressive performance over fellow Asian compatriot Shinobou Asagoi of Japan in a firm 7/5 6/2 win. She captialised on that and went on from strength to strength to reach a career high of 50 compared to the 128 rank she started with Al Habtoor tournament last year.

Last week she played her home tournament of Bali, and in Bali she always have stories. The premier story was in 2001 when she became the lowest ranked player ever to win a WTA title at the rank of 579 of which she got her entry as a wild card. Last week she recovered in 1r from 5-3 third-set deficit to defeat world No. 64 Safina and reached QF but lost to Japanese world No. 68 Obata, after serving for the match 64 5-4.

It was Dubai who tuned her doubles career as well, in Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge last year she ended runner up with Bahia Mouhtassine of Morocco, and then in February at the Dubai Duty Free WTA tennis championships, discovered her ever since double partner Maria Vento Kapchi of Venezuela, where they lost to the legend Navratlova and Kuznetsova in the semi, reached the quarter final in the recent US Open and lately won at Bali.

This year she will be accompanied with her parents and private coach as she was always repeating the wish of bringing her family once with her to enjoy the great Dubai and the luxury facilities of the Metropolitan Resort and Beach Club, the venue of the $75,000 international womens tournament.

Mr. Khalaf Al Habtoor, Chairman of Al Habtoor group and founder of the tournament, has appraised the decision, "she is a very good competitor and a big fighter on court, last year she played very good and we are delighted that our tournament give her that push in the international ranking', he said.

Should Widjaja succeed to win this year Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge, she would be the only single player who retain his / her title or win singles competition twice in the land of Dubai, so said Hany El Khafief, Tournament Director, "11 years of Dubai Duty Free ATP, 3 years of WTA tours, 6 Habtoor tennis Challenge, 6 Men's Futures and no player ever won a single title in Dubai twice", he added. But to do so, she must overcome many of the other top 100 players expected to join the star studded tournament as the organizers expect the best line up ever in the tournament history

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