Phl netters miss gold as Mamiit, Huey falter

PALEMBANG – Cecil Mamiit threw everything he had into the game to win the gold medal for the Philippines, but the Indonesians, drawing cheers from the local crowd, held their own to win the deciding doubles event and the gold medal in team competitions in the 26th Southeast Asian Games.

The deadly Indonesian pair of Sasonko and Sosanto, pulling through with heavy smashes at the net, broke the Filipinos twice in each set to take a 6-3, 6-4 victory and win the gold medal at the national tennis center inside the Jakabaring Sriwijaya national stadium.

Mamiit took the first set over Alexander Elbert, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, but Chris Pungrat leveled the best-of-three team event with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Conrad Treat Huey.

“We got the confidence and momentum when we broke them in the each set,” said Sasonko, whose attack at the net produced the big scores that crippled the Filipino pair.

“We had the chance to win, and we did everything but the conditions did not favor us,” said Mamiit, referring to the boisterous crowd and certain line calls that gave the Indians a service break in the second set.

“We will continue fighting for our countrymen, and we will do so because I know Filipinos out there are rooting for us,” said the top Fil-American player who competes in the men’s singles starting today.

The Filipinos earlier drew a bye to the semifinal round where they beat Thailand, 2-1, to advance to the finals against Indonesia.

Mamiit dominated Thai Kittiphong Wachira, 6-4, 6-3, in the first singles but Thailand’s top netter forced a deciding doubles with an 8-6, 6-1 victory over Huey.

Mamiit and Huey partnered in the doubles to beat the Thai brothers Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana, 8-6, 4-6, 6-4.