Indonesia has 30 observers at Asian Games (Incheon Diary)

Keen to put up a superb Asian Games in 2018, Indonesia has sent 30 observers for the ongoing 17th Asian Games.

Indonesian Olympic Committee president Rita Subowo, IOC member, is confident that Indonesian capital of Jakarta, which last hosted the Games in 1962, would be ready to host the 18th Asian Games in 2018.

She said Indonesia has in recent past hosted international multi-sports such as the Asian Beach Games in Bali in 2008 and the South East Asian Games in Palembang in 2011 besides international championships in different events, including athletics and badminton.

Subowo said Indonesia would be renovating and modernising existing stadiums and also using exhibition centres for indoor venues.

"Of course, our nation is very happy with this achievement and we have to work hard to fulfill all the requirements. With the guidance of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) we can achieve that level," she said.

-*-

Sania Mirza arrives in Incheon

India's tennis star Sania Mirza arrived here Sunday. Sania, who has six medals, including one gold, from the Games in 2002 (Busan), 2006 (Doha) and 2010 (Guangzhou), skipped India's first match, the quarter-final against Oman but the team won comfortably 3-0.

India's next match is against second seeds Kazakhstan, who will be led by World No.52 Yaroslava Shvedova, who has to her credit two Grand Slam women's doubles titles - Wimbledon and US Open in 2010 - besides having had a career-high ranking of 25 in WTA as recently October 2012.

-*-

Tennis to be part of Asian Indoor and Martial Games in 2017

The OCA has decided to add tennis to the programme of the Asian Indoor and Martial Games in 2017, but at the same time said it has no plans to remove it from the programme of the 2018 Asian Games. Tennis first came into the Asian Games programme in 1958 in Tokyo and has been a part of it ever since.

India's biggest tennis stars Vijay Amritraj, Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza have all participated in it.