Many in India may not remember Yayuk Basuki — Indonesia’s best-ever tennis player. But Leander Paes’ first-ever mixed doubles partner has almost iconic status back home.

Basuki played with Paes at Wimbledon in 1994 and the US Open in 1995. “We had fun...real fun,” she reminisced.

Basuki, 37, retired from the pro tour, is a consultant to the Indonesian sports ministry since 2004 and evaluates seven sports— badminton, sepak takraw, softball, baseball, table tennis and squash apart from tennis — in a bid to improve Indonesia’s sports image worldwide. “It’s not that sport in our country is no where. But it’s not enough to be known world over,” she explained.

The former WTA Tour No 19 singles player, who is in the city with Indonesia’s crack doubles pair Angelique Widjaja and Wynne Prakusya, spoke to The Indian Express.

Excerpts:

On being involved with diverse sports

•Thankfully, I am a blessed athlete and importantly back home people look up to me for what I have achieved. If I can exchange any skill I posses, in whatever capacity, then why not? Indonesia has a host of professionals, but sports champions are few. And sport, I guess, builds a nation.

On the not-so-impressive tennis history Indonesia has

•No encouragement, lack of publicity and only certain sports getting priority is Indonesia’s bane. Sports overall is on the downslide. For example, it’s satisfying to see Challenger tournaments beamed on television, even if it was only two days. In Indonesia, this tournament would draw a blank, which discourages many.

... contd.