Wynne wins in win-win match for RI
Wynne wins in win-win match for RI
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Manila
Wynne Prakusya won the only title to have eluded her in the
Southeast Asian Games after she defeated Romana Tedjakusuma in an
all-Indonesian women's singles tennis final here on Saturday.
After carrying the women's team on her petite shoulders to
claim the team title a day earlier, Wynne is poised for more
hardware as she plays in the finals of the women's doubles and
the mixed doubles on Sunday.
However, the singles honor was her sweetest achievement after
losing twice in the finals in two previous SEA Games, losing to
Mary Fernandez in 1999 and to compatriot Romana in 2001.
Despite a dominating performance in her 6-0, 6-3 victory,
Wynne admitted to having felt a bit nervous before the match.
"It was worried after I lost in the previous two finals," said
Wynne.
Romana praised her doubles partner, saying that Wynne played
better and deserved the victory.
"She was very clever in terms of ball placement. I had a
little problem with her serves," the 29-year-old Romana said.
With the popular Cecil Mamiit and other Philippines players on
the schedule, home fans came out in huge numbers, making the
Rizal Memorial hardcourts fully packed with raucous noise.
Mamiit, who defeated Indonesia's Prima Simpatiaji in the
semifinals, paid back the strong support by winning the men's
singles title with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victory over top seed Danai
Udomchoke of Thailand.
The Indonesians also deserved their cheers on the day. After
grabbing two golds in the women's singles and team competition,
they are now assured of another in the women's doubles with Wynne
and Romana teaming against Ayu Fani Damayanti and Septi Mende.
"These achievements are more than we expected," the team
manager Kresno Merdiko said.
Wynne and Romana secured their place in the finals after
taking the third set 6-3 over Denise Dy and Riza Zalameda of the
Philippines in a match that was carried over on Friday. The match
was stopped at 5-2 in third after splitting the first two sets 6-
2, 6-7 (4-7).
Ayu and Septi made it an all-Indonesian final after they
defeated Montinee Tangphong and Thassa Vitayaviroj of Thailand 6-
1, 7-5.
Wynne's mixed doubles match will see her team up with Suwandi
against Eric Taino and Zalameda in the final.
The Indonesian pair stopped top seeds Sonchat Ratiwatana and
Napaporn Tongsalee 6-1, 6-4 while Taino and Zalameda beat the
other Thai pair Sanchai Ratiwatana and Tangphong 6-2, 6-3.
In the last semifinal match on Saturday, Indonesian men's
doubles team Prima and Sunu Wahyu Trijati bowed out to Mamiit and
Taino 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 2-6. The Filipinos will face the Ratiwatana
brothers, who dispatched Suwandi and Bonit Wiryawan in Friday's
semifinals.