Indonesia concedes another tennis silver
Indonesia concedes another tennis silver
HIROSHIMA, Japan (Agencies): Indian Davis Cup hero Leander
Paes sent Indonesia biting at its fingers for another silver
medal in Asian Games tennis competition yesterday.
Paes, former Wimbledon and the U.S. Open junior champion, had
little trouble finishing off Indonesia's number one Benny Wijaya
6-1, 6-3 to gave the Indian team a winning 2-0 lead and the
country's first gold medal at the two-week Games.
Earlier at the center stadium, Asif Ismail encountered stern
opposition from Suwandi before wrapping up a 6-1, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3
win in the opening singles match.
Zeeshan Ali Syed and Gaurav Natekar completed India's winning
run by beating Donny Susetio and Bonit Wiryawan 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in
the meaningless doubles match.
India, taking only one gold medal in the 1990 Beijing Games in
the kabaddi competition, claimed its first-ever gold in the
tennis competition since the sport was introduced into the Asian
Games in 1958.
It was sweet revenge for India, which lost to a Yustejo Tarik-
led Indonesia in the 1982 Asian Games men's team final.
India's sports minister Mukul Wasnik, opposition leaders
Sikander Bakht and Vijay Kumar Malhotra and Paes' father Vece, a
former hockey international, joined around 100 flag-waving Indian
athletes to cheer on their country's first gold medal.
"It is a fantastic moment," Wasnik said. "I hope it inspires
the others to show that we do not lag behind the other
countries."
Benny and company's loss completed Indonesia's losing run in
tennis team competitions after their women's compatriots crashed
to a 0-3 defeat to host Japan on Thursday.
"Asif did the ground work. He played absolutely brilliantly
today. My only grouse was that he wrapped up the first set in
just 23 minutes, which made me rush for my warm-up," Paes paid
tribute to his teammate.
"It was a real team effort. Even the reserves like Zeeshan Ali
and Natekar had a role to play. Their support and encouragement
was invaluable."
Experience
Ismail, 24, who made his Davis Cup debut last month in the
world group play-off against South Africa in New Delhi, said
winning the Asiad gold was his greatest moment in a fledging
four-year international career.
"The Davis Cup experience gave me the confidence to take on
the best. I am relieved at justifying the faith reposed in me,"
said Ismail, whose father Abdul Ismail played first-class cricket
for Bombay in the sixties.
The 21-year-old boisterous Paes immediately issued a warning
to his rivals after the memorable victory. "I want to leave
Hiroshima with at least two more gold medals," he said.
Paes, who won two singles in India's Davis Cup campaign
against South Africa two weeks ago, is top-seeded for the singles
events starting today. He will also pair with Davis Cup partner
Natekar in the doubles.