Thai players dominate tennis competition
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (JP): Thailand showed the ball was firmly in its court in the tennis competition at the 20th Southeast Asian Games, winning four of seven gold medals at the conclusion of the event on Saturday.
Indonesia brought its gold medal tally to two when its best pairs met each other in the women's doubles final on Saturday. It won five golds at the last Games in Jakarta.
In the women's singles, Maricris Fernandez upset Indonesian top seed Wynne Prakusya in a nervy, error-filled match. She is first Filipina to win the women's singles crown in the biennial event's history.
Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand, top seeded in the men's singles, retained his crown by defeating fourth seeded Bryan Juinio of the Philippines 6-3, 6-3 in one hour and 18 minutes.
The Thai ace helped win the gold in the men's team event on Tuesday.
Second seed Fernandez, 20, took full advantage of the absence of the region's top women's player Tamarine Tanasugarn, playing with confidence to topple an uninspired Wynne 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 20 minutes.
Relying on well-angled forehands and two-handed backhand drives, Fernandez pinned her 18-year-old opponent to the baseline. Wynne broke serve in the second set but appeared to lack the confidence to threaten Fernandes.
"The key to my success was winning the first set. It gave me more self-confidence. I knew how to handle Wynne and I didn't pay attention to some bad line calls," said Fernandez. Despite holding a lower ranking, she has extended her head-to-head record against Wynne to 4-0, including a win in Tuesday's team event final.
Fernandez will receive 375,000 pesos (US$10,000) from the Philippines National Sports Council for the victory.
Wynne burst into tears when Fernandez received a standing ovation from her supporters, including the Philippines Tennis Association (Philta) president, Salvador Andrada.
"She prepared so well for the Games," the Indonesian said. "In contrast, I lacked preparation because I had to let my sore back heal and I caught a cold in the final days prior to the Games.
"It should have been a great moment for me due to the absence of Tamarine and Benjamas (Sangaram). But I didn't make it," she added.
Coach Suzana Arianto Wibowo said she was surprised by Fernandez's consistency, in stark contrast to her poor form in two Indonesian Future tournaments two months ago in Jakarta.
"When I first saw the draw, I guessed Romana (Tedjakusuma) could overcome Fernandez," said Suzana. Indonesian veteran Romana lost to Fernandez in the quarterfinals.
Suzana proposed that the Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) arrange a long-term training program for the country's most talented players and send them to play on the international circuit in an attempt to restore Indonesian tennis to its past glory.
Wynne teamed with Romana to beat Liza Andriyani and Wukirasih Sawondari 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the all-Indonesian women's doubles final.
Srichaphan won the men's doubles crown with his brother Narathorn. The Srichaphans, also gold medalists at the Asian Games in December, beat compatriots Danai Udomchoke and Vittaya Samrej 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
There was another all-Thai affair in the mixed doubles. Vittaya Samrej and Orawan Wongkamalasai outlasted Narathorn Srichapahan and Montika Anuchan 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. (yan)