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.