Indonesian tennis yields mixed results at SEAG<\/p>\n
CHIANG MAI, Thailand (JP): Indonesia captured one more gold
\nmedal in the 18th Southeast Asian Games tennis competition
\nyesterday, but Thailand walked away with pride.<\/p>\n
The gold medal, won by the women's team of Yayuk Basuki and
\nRomana Tedjakusuma, came only after a series of defeats which
\ntattered Indonesia's long-time domination of tennis in the
\nregion.<\/p>\n
Asia champions Yayuk and Romana were forced to struggle to
\nbeat Thai heroines Tammarine Tanasugarn and Suvimol Duangchan 6-
\n2, 6-2. It was the Indonesian duo's second win over the same
\nopponents within three days, after a hard-earned win in the
\ndeciding doubles match of the women's team final on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
However, Suwandi and Romana, defending champions in the men's
\nsingles and women's singles, both crashed out in their semifinals
\nagainst Thai players. Romana bowed out meekly 2-6, 2-6 to top
\nseed Tammarin Tanasugarn and Suwandi lost to Thanakorn Srichaphan
\n2-6, 7-6, 3-6.<\/p>\n
Tammarine, Wimbledon junior runner-up, looks certain to adorn
\nher cabinet with an SEA Games gold medal today, when she meets
\nsurprising finalist Khoo Chin Bee of Malaysia, who downed another
\nIndonesian Mimma Chernovita 6-3, 6-3.<\/p>\n
Suwandi's defeat set up an all-Thai final in the men's singles
\ntoday after old war house Worapol Thongkamchoo notched an upset
\n6-2, 2-6, 6-3 win over second seed Joseph Lizardo of the
\nPhilippines in the other semifinal.<\/p>\n
Thailand continued to sparkle in the men's doubles, with
\nWorapol and Vittaya Samrej vying for the crown against teammates
\nThanakorn and Naraton Srichaphan.<\/p>\n
A solid Srichaphan brothers team made short work of Indonesian
\nsecond seeds Suwandi and Edy Kusdaryanto 6-1, 6-3. In the other
\nsemifinal, Worapol and Samrej overcame the persistence of Camoy
\nPalahang and Robert Angelo of the Philippines.<\/p>\n
Yayuk has a chance to win her third gold from the mixed
\ndoubles. Teaming up with Sulistyo Wibowo, Yayuk came back from a
\nset down to overcome Tammarine and Thanakorn 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in
\nlate semifinal action yesterday.<\/p>\n
Asian Championships mixed doubles winners Yayuk and Sulistyo
\nwill now meet compatriots Bonit Wiryawan and Romana, who breezed
\npast the unheralded Vietnamese team of On Tan Luc and Thi Kim
\nTrang 6-2, 6-4 in the other semifinal yesterday.<\/p>\n
Struggle<\/p>\n
The big margin scored by Yayuk and Romana had nothing to do
\nwith Indonesian exertion. The Thais, armed with powerful cross
\ncourt strokes, kept the Indonesians running throughout the match.<\/p>\n
Taking a 4-1 lead in the second set, Yayuk dropped her game
\nafter drilling two wide lobs. The Indonesian duo bounced back to
\nregain momentum, only after Tammarine netted her volleys.<\/p>\n
"We played far better today since the pressures we had to cope
\nwith were not as heavy as in the team event," Yayuk said after
\nwinning her gold.<\/p>\n
Suwandi fought back in superb fashion in the second set of his
\nmatch against veteran Thanakorn, but quickly dropped his form to
\nmatch the Thai's gritty serve-and-volley in the deciding set.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian defending champion attempted a number of
\napproaches, ending up with a string of unforced errors and netted
\nvolleys. Trailing 3-5, a frustrated Suwandi struggled to reply to
\nThanakorn's pommeling groundstrokes. The Thai sealed the match
\nwith a deep volley that left Suwandi stranded.<\/p>\n
"Suwandi should have had no problem with the Thai's challenge
\nif he had had enough speed and power," national coach Deddy
\nPrasetyo said.<\/p>\n
Indonesian tennis team manager, Zaenal Abidin, said the modest
\noutcome of this year's SEA Games should prompt major changes in
\nthe national tennis program. Indonesia expected to win five golds
\nfrom tennis.<\/p>\n
"We have long been discussing the scarcity of talent, but it
\nseems that we need to go down deeper to the issue of the best
\ngrooming program, as Thailand has been doing," he said. (amd)<\/p>",
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