Indonesia faces top Thai squad for women's tennis gold
Indonesia faces top Thai squad for women's tennis gold
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia whitewashed the Philippines yesterday
in the women's tennis team event to reach a final showdown with
top seeded Thailand.
Second singles Wukirasih Sawondari defeated Maricris Fernandes
6-1, 6-3 to put the host team ahead on the Senayan clay courts.
First singles Wynne Prakusya beat Marisue Jacutin 6-4, 6-2 to
give Indonesia the decisive 2-0 lead in the best-of-three tie.
Indonesia's non-playing captain Alfred Raturandang stood up
and shook Wynne's hand as 1,000 spectators clapped their approval
after her win.
In the meaningless third rubber, Indonesians Liza
Andriyani/Irawati Moerid Iskandar dismissed Maria Saret/Pamela
Floro 6-3, 6-2 to seal the drubbing.
Indonesia team manager Benny Mailili said his players were a
class above their opponents.
"I had estimated that our players would win today," he said.
The first set of the Wynne-Jacutin match was a closely fought
affair.
Wynne, 17, raced to 5-1 before Jacutin broke her service twice
to reach 4-5. But the Filipina double-faulted on her own serve to
hand Wynne the set.
"I didn't expect to meet Jacutin because, based on the draw, I
should have played Fernandes," Wynne told The Jakarta Post. "But
actually our chance was 75-25 against the Philippines."
"I didn't have much trouble against her because I had beaten
her earlier this year in a satellite tournament."
The Thai team was on edge when its first singles, Tamarine
Tanasugarn, committed numerous unforced errors and had to pull
out all the stops to beat Khoo Chin Bee of Malaysia 6-3, 2-6, 7-
5.
Thai second singles Suvimol Duangchan beat Tan Lynn Yin 6-3,
6-1 to assure her team a final spot.
Marissa Niroj, replacing Tamarine, teamed up with Benjamas
Sangaram to beat Tan Lynn Yin/Khoo 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 for a clean
sweep of the matches.
Thailand's shaky performance gave Benny Mailili hope for the
final.
"Considering Thailand's performance today, I think we have a
60-40 chance in the team's event. Whoever meets Tamarine tomorrow
still have 50-50 chance. Tamarine didn't play very well today and
she could not adjust to the clay court."
Benny was tight-lipped about Indonesia's team formation for
today's final.
"Let the players decide in tonight's meeting. If they make the
decision, then it will give them self-confidence for the
matches."
It was a similar story for Thailand's male players as they
struggled to beat Malaysia 2-1.
First singles Paradorn Srichaphan beat V. Seluan 7-5, 7-6 (7-
5) to keep the Thais in the running after Malaysian R.
Ramachandran upset veteran Waraphol Thongkhumchoo 7-5, 6-3.
Paradorn and his brother Narathorn Srichaphan eked out victory
over Seluan and Ramachandran 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-5) in the all-
important third match.
Thailand will meet second seeded the Philippines, which
received a bye, in today's semifinal.
In a contest of two minor tennis nations, Vietnam surrendered
just six games in thrashing Cambodia 3-0. First singles On Tan
Luc routed Chann Thy 6-0, 6-0 while second singles Tran Duc Quynh
defeated Rin Sophanaro 6-1, 6-2.
In the doubles, On Tan Luc/Truong Quoc Hung beat Chann
Thy/Phul Chantina 6-1, 6-2.
Vietnam will challenge top seeded Indonesia in the other
semifinal.
Although he would not disclose his team's lineup for the
final, Indonesian men's tennis coach Wailan Walalangi said the
odds were heavily in favor of his players against the Vietnamese.
(yan)