Indonesia moves to men's tennis team final in Asiad
Indonesia moves to men's tennis team final in Asiad
HIROSHIMA, Japan (Agencies): Indonesia moved closer to regaining its men's team tennis gold medal after winning both singles for an insurmountable 2-0 lead over host Japan in their semifinal yesterday.
A Benny Wijaya-led squad will renew an Indonesia-India duel at the Asian Games tomorrow. In the other semifinal, Leander Paes brought India to a 3-0 drubbing of Malaysia, an upset quarterfinal winner against defending champion South Korea on Tuesday.
It will be Indonesia's third Asian Games success if it manages to shrug off the odds against favorite India. Indonesia took the gold medal in 1978 and retained the title four years later by beating India. Both sides left the 1990 event as bronze medalists.
Inspired by his women teammates who secured a final's berth on Tuesday, Suwandi played his best tennis to breeze past Goichi Motomura 6-2, 6-3 in the first singles. The 17-year-old Southeast Asian Games gold medalist did everything right, firing his cross court groundstrokes from his baseline.
Japan should blame its abortive campaign on number one player Shuzo Matsuoka who preferred improving his world ranking than backing his national team as Benny put Indonesia 2-0 ahead after edging past Yasufumi Yamamoto 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 6-3.
A serve-and-volleyer, Benny, number one at home, labored in the opening set and played an energy saving game in the second on the way to overcoming the determined Yamamoto.
Indonesia's coach Wailan Walalangi said: "I'm so glad that we made the final in both the men's and women's team event for the first time since 1982. But it will be very difficult to beat India."
Yayuk Basuki led the Indonesian women's team to set up a final rematch against Japan today after ousting China 2-1 on Tuesday.
India
India's victory over Malaysia gave Paes and company a chance to carve out a piece of tennis history by winning its first gold medal at the Asian Games.
"Yesterday, it was tough, because we lost the first match, but Asif Ismail played a very good match this morning and beat Ramaiah," Paes said.
Ismail, who lost his singles before he and Paes narrowly clinched the decisive doubles in two tie-breakers against Taiwan on Tuesday, was a different player yesterday. He coasted to a comfortable 6-1, 7-5 win over Ramachandran Ramaiah.
Then Paes, the hero of India's semi-final run in last year's Davis Cup, gave them an insurmountable 2-0 lead with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Adam Malik.
Syed Zeeshan Ali and Grurav Natekar took the doubles against Wilson Kim Huat Khoo and Ramaiah 6-1, 6-4.
"I haven't yet won it, but we are getting closer," said Paes, a former Wimbledon and U.S. Open junior champion.
"But again we've got to give effort, we've just got keep trying our best. Tomorrow, we have a day off, we need to look after ourselves, practice and be ready for the day after tomorrow.
"People say I'm the top favorite, but I just go out there and try my best. Who knows what'll happen," added the 21-year-old.