RI finally wrests men's tennis team gold
RI finally wrests men's tennis team gold
By Primastuti Handayani
JAKARTA (JP): It took 10 years, but Indonesia finally
reclaimed the men's tennis team gold by edging Thailand 2-1 at
the Senayan tennis complex yesterday.
Everything hinged on the final match of the best-of-three tie,
and Indonesians Bonit Wiryawan and Sulistyo Wibowo were not
daunted by their task.
As Naratorn Sirichapan's backhand hit the net at match point
for Indonesia in the second set tiebreak, Bonit and Sulistyo
raised their hands and teammates Andrian Raturandang and Suwandi
rushed on to the clay court.
Bonit, wearing a white sock on his left foot and a black sock
on his right for good luck, and Sulistyo beat Naratorn and his
younger brother Paradorn 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).
The host team was lucky to still be in the running after
second singles Suwandi went down to Warapol Thonkhumchoo 6-1, 4-
6, 3-6, in the first match of the day.
First singles Andrian Raturandang kept hopes alive by beating
Paradorn 6-4, 6-2.
After the final match, the Indonesian quartet carried a huge
red-and-white flag as they ran a victory lap around the center
court to the accompaniment of nearly 3,500 spectators chanting
"Indonesia".
Coach Wailan Walalangi, a member of the last Indonesian squad
to win the team gold at the 1987 Games here, was delighted.
"You could say I have earned a double success as a player and
a coach. We made a clean sweep of seven golds in 1987.
"Our players performed very well today, but I was a little bit
disappointed with Suwandi because he should not have lost his
match."
Team manager Benny Mailili said Suwandi had buckled under
pressure. "We'll evaluate today's results. But I think Suwandi
isn't fit to play in a team event because of the high pressure.
He just can't stand it."
National Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar, who
presented the golds, said: "This is really an improvement in our
tennis development since Thailand and the Philippines have always
dominated the event."
The doubles was a close affair. In the crucial ninth game of
the first set, Sulistyo held serve at love. The Indonesians then
broke the Thai serve for the set.
The second set was almost a carbon copy of the first as both
pairs held serve until the tiebreak.
Despite several errors by Bonit, Indonesian experience told in
the final tense moments.
"I had the motivation to win and that really helped my
performance," Bonit said.
Paradorn credited Andrian with shrewd tactical play in the
singles.
"Andrian played very well, and he knows that I don't like
soft balls in the court. We met in a satellite tournament last
August and I lost 1-6, 1-6."
His compatriot Tamarine Tanusagarn had complained about the
line judges after her team lost to Indonesia in the women's event
on Monday. Paradorn said the officials were not the problem.
"They are very good and I think they were being fair. But the
spectators disturbed my concentration."
Andrian showed no ill-effects of a fitful night's sleep. "I
could not sleep until 3 a.m. and I thought I wouldn't be able to
play. Thank God I was able to handle the pressure."