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."