Wynne, Romana to vie for singles gold
Wynne, Romana to vie for singles gold
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post/Manila
Wynne Prakusya and Romana Tedjakusuma subdued their strongest rivals in the region from Thailand in Friday's semifinals to assure the country a second gold from tennis at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
Saturday's all-Indonesia final on the hardcourts of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex will be their second in the SEA Games. In 2001 in Malaysia, Romana triumphed.
Four years later, Wynne, with only a singles gold missing from her collection of women's team, women's and mixed doubles golds that began in 1997, may have the upper hand. She won both of their encounters in straight sets in Challenger tournaments earlier this year.
"That shouldn't be taken to mean that I'm taking a win for granted," Wynne, 24, said of her doubles partner after slugging out a 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 win over Napaporn Tongsalee in almost two hours.
"Romana is a hard-fighting player. If we are not physically and mentally prepared, we will have a difficult time against her. I'm going to fight it out because it's a rare chance for me."
In the earlier semifinal, 29-year-old, California-based Roman also dropped the middle set before racing through the third against Suchanan Viratprasert 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in more than two hours.
Wynne and Romana are also likely to be in the doubles final; their semifinal against Denise DY and Riza Zalameda of the Philippines was stopped with them leading 5-2 in the third set after they split the first two 6-2, 6-7 (4).
In the men's doubles, Suwandi and Bonit Wiryawan, at 37 probably playing his last SEA Games, lost to Thai twin brothers Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.
On a nearby court, Prima Simpatiaji gave his all but found himself facing a partisan home crowd and line judges against American-born Cecil Mamiit of the Philippines.
There were annoying shouts during rallies, and dubious calls against him at crucial moments. His protests fell on dear ears; he was left to grin and bear it as he lost in two close tiebreakers 6-7 (2), 6-7 (4).
"I ran after the ball everywhere he hit it, but I was up against a tough guy out there," Prima told The Jakarta Post after the two-hour tussle.
Mamiit will face Danai Udomchoke in the final. The Thai top seed beat Mamiit's compatriot and doubles partner Eric Taino 7-6 (5), 6-4.
Prima, paired with Sunu Wahyu, will meet Mamiit once again in the doubles final on Saturday. In the other women's semifinal match, Ayu Fani Damayanti and Septi Mende of Indonesia face Motinee Tangphong and Thassa Vitayaviroj of Thailand.