Posted on 16 December 2009
Treat Huey, the Philippines No.2 behind veteran Cecil Mamiit, continued his superb form in the 25th Southeast Asian Games tennis competition by scoring a stunning straight sets victory over Thailand’s top-seeded and world rated Danai Udomchoke 7-6/7-6 on Wednesday afternoon at the National Stadium in Vientiane, Laos.
An ecstatic Philta official Randy Villanueva informed us that it could well turn out to be an all-Filipino battle for gold as Mamiit was playing French-Cambodian Tan Nysan in the second semi finals.
Tan earlier defeated Thai No.2 Kittipong Wachiramanowong in back-to-back tie-breakers 7-6/7-6 while Huey who is seeded No. 4 in the men’s singles smashed Malaysia’s Ariez Heshaam in straight sets 6-0/6-3 in the quarter finals to set up the clash with Udomchoke.
Thai No.1 Udomchoke appeared to struggle in the second set against unseeded Cambodian Ben Kenny after using his experience to breeze through the opening set 6-0. However, Udomchoke had to struggle in the second set before winning 6-4 to clinch the match and a semi final berth.
Danai conceded after his quarter finals match that his performance was below par as he was saving his energy for the next round and his showdown with Huey. He also claimed he had a slight shoulder injury.
The Bangkok Post reported that Kittipong seemed to have problem with his concentration and calmness during the match.
Another Thai player, Suchanan Viratprasert was not good enough to win a medal in the women’s singles event when she lost 7-5, 2-6 and 7-6 (5) to the Philippines’ promising Denise Dy.
The top seed from Thailand lost the opening set 7-5 before taking the second set 6-2. But Dy who plays in the US NCAA collegiate circuit pulled through to win the deciding set 7-5.
In the women’s doubles, Thai number one Tamarine Tanasugarn and Varatchaya Wongteanchai overwhelmed Vietnamese duo Tran Lam Anh and Huynh Mai Huynh 6-2 and 6-1 to move into the semi-finals.
In the men’s doubles semi-final, Thai twins Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana easily defeated Indonesian duo Ketut-Nesa Arta and Christopher Rungkat 6-2 and 6-4.
The top seeds will meet the Philippines’ Treat Huey and Cecil Mamit in the final. Huey and Mamiit had beaten the favored Thai tandem in the Men’s team competition in a gripping third set tiebreak and in the men’s doubles overcame Danai and Kittipong 7-5/ 7-6 (2).
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