Bruce Emond, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali
Elise Tamaela felt right at home when she arrived in Bali for the Wismilak International.
The 22-year-old Dutch player has an Indonesian connection; her father, Eli, although Dutch born, is of Ambonese descent. There are still relatives in the family's ancestral home of Seram island in Maluku.
""When we came here, I didn't really know what to expect. But everybody is smiling, very warm, just like the Moluccan people back in Holland,"" Tamaela told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday after a straight-sets win over Venezuela's Maria Vento Kabchi to reach the second round.
She is familiar with Ambonese and Indonesian customs; she grew up outside the town of Culemborg, home to a large Ambonese enclave. Her mother and a paternal aunt cook excellent Indonesian food, she says.
""I feel that a part of me is Indonesian, of course. When people here ask me where I'm from, I like to tell them that my father is from here.""
A top junior, Tamaela was supported by the Dutch tennis federation until the age of 21; she was national champion in the 12, 14 and 18 age groups. At the moment, the left-hander with a big serve is one of the tour's journeywomen, winning three small Challenger tournaments this year and a little over US$30,000.
It's still rare for her to play the main tour events such as the Tier 3 Bali tournament. Currently ranked 154th in the world, she gained direct entry to the draw after several higher-ranked players pulled out due to injury.
Although the 32-year-old Vento Kabchi is at the tail end of her career, and better known for her doubles success than singles results, it was still a good win for Tamaela. But she concedes that Dutch tennis overall is at a low point.
Tamaela is the second highest ranked Dutchwoman after Michaella Krajicek, but next in the rankings is the semiretired 35-year-old Brenda Schulz-McCarthy, who has reached 301 in the rankings by playing a handful of tournaments.
""It's not so good right now, we've had a lot of good guys injured, but we have some good juniors, both boys and girls, coming up. We are waiting for the younger players to come up.""
She is looking forward to playing second seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, world ranked 8, on Thursday. It will be especially exciting because she has never faced a player in the top 30.
""I've watched a lot of her matches on TV, I like the way she plays. It's going to be nice and great to play her. I'll just go out there and give it my all, and see what happens.""
Tamaela is pleasant and well-spoken, and understandably lacks the jaded, forced quality of some of her higher-ranked peers in facing the media. When the tour minder moves in to say it's time to wrap up the 10-minute interview, she allows more time.
She enjoys the constant travel around the world, because ""I find something new in every place I visit"". She travels with a coach, but has not experienced loneliness or encountered cut-throat competitiveness from other players.
""I treat people the way I want to be treated, so everything has been OK.""
Her goal is to reach the top 100 by next year; the ""sooner the better"", she said, although she knows it may take longer. ""If I'm there, let's see what we can do.""
Selected for advanced placement in high school, Tamaela graduated a year early at 17. She has another interest a world away from the tennis court.
""I've always been interested in criminology. I would like a job that has something to do with that.
