Indonesia secures women's doubles title

By Primastuti Handayani

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (JP): Indonesia assured itself at least one more tennis gold medal at the 20th Southeast Asian Games here on Friday after its two women's doubles pairs reached Saturday's final.

Top seeded Liza Andriyani and Wukirasih Sawondari advanced with an easy 6-0, 6-1 victory over Thailand's Orawan Wongkamalasai and Montika Anuchan, and second seeds Wynne Prakusya and Romana Tedjakusuma beat Thailand's Suchanan Viratprasert and Napaporn Tongsalee 6-2, 6-3.

Wynne, top seed in the women's singles, has the opportunity to win a trio of golds at the Games. She sent Khoo Chin Bee of Malaysia packing with a 6-3, 6-2 win and will take on second seed Maricris Fernandez of the Philippines, who beat third seed Orawan 6-1, 6-3.

Wynne already has one gold as a member of the Indonesian squad which downed the Philippines 2-1 in the women's team final on Tuesday. Playing the second singles match that day, Wynne lost to Fernandez.

However, it was Thailand which stole the show on Friday, thanks in part to Paradorn Srichaphan's superb workmanship. He smashed his way to the men's singles and men's doubles finals.

Top seeded and defending champion Paradorn handed Indonesia's Suwandi his second straight defeat in three days in a 6-4, 6-4 win in the men's singles semifinal. Paradorn, who beat Suwandi in Thailand's 3-0 drubbing of Indonesia in the men's team final on Tuesday, will face Filipino Bryan Juinio for the men's singles crown.

In the men's doubles event, Paradorn teamed up with his brother Narathorn to beat Indonesia's Febi Widhiyanto and Hendri Susilo Pramono 6-4, 6-4. Asian Games winners Srichaphans set up an all-Thai final with the pairing of Danai Udomchoke and Vittaya Samrej, who edged out Indonesians Suwandi and Yusmawan Fahmi 6-3, 6-3 in the other semifinal.

Thailand also secured the mixed doubles gold medal after Narathorn and Montika came from behind to upset top seeded Suwandi and Wukirasih 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2. Another Thai pairing of Vittaya and Orawan had an easier path to the final, beating Indonesian rivals Hendro and Liza 6-3, 6-4.

Optimism

Wynne's coach Suharyadi expressed optimism that she could avenge the loss to Fernandez.

"If Wynne plays more aggressively with deep and sharp strokes, I'm very confident she can beat Fernandez," said the former Asian Games gold medalist.

Wynne concurred and said her loss on Tuesday motivated her to perform her best.

"I played without determination when I lost to her in the team final. Now I'm ready to put pressure on her and make her run round the court," Wynne said.

Separately, president of the Philippines Tennis Association Salvador Andrada predicted that Fernandez would remain too strong for the 18-year-old Indonesian.

"After winning the first encounter, I believe Maricris has gained self-confidence to beat Wynne," Andrada said.

Indonesian team manager Martina Wijaya regretted that the mixed doubles crown slipped through the country's fingers.

"Suwandi and Wukirasih could have won the match because they were leading 3-0 in the second set. But they spoiled their chances with unforced errors."

However, Martina said two gold medals in hand matched the Indonesian Tennis Association's prediction.

"We expected two golds from our women's players. Wynne will award us a bonus if she wins the women's singles," Martina said.

The National Sports Council hoped the Indonesian tennis team would win three gold medals in the absence of Thai tennis queen Tamarine Tanasugarn, who chose not to play in the Games in order to attempt to improve her ranking on the women's circuit.