Tennis duo reach mixed doubles final

Tennis duo reach mixed doubles final

Bronze winner Banpot becomes Thailand's first medallist in ju-jitsu, weightlifter Rattanawan also finishes third

right Tennis stars Sonchat Ratiwatana and Luksika Kumkhum during their mixed doubles semi-final match at the Asian Games in Indonesia yesterday.
right Tennis stars Sonchat Ratiwatana and Luksika Kumkhum during their mixed doubles semi-final match at the Asian Games in Indonesia yesterday.

Tennis stars Sonchat Ratiwatana and Luksika Kumkhum brightened up an otherwise dull day for the Thai contingent at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia yesterday by assuring them of at least a mixed doubles silver medal.

There were some scattered medals for the Thais with rowing contributing three bronzes at Jakarta Palembang 2018 but Sonchat and Luksika's effort stood out.

The Thai pair clinched a nerve-tingling victory over Anna Danilina and Aleksandr Nedovyesov of Kazakhstan in the mixed doubles semi-finals of the tennis competition in Palembang.

The Thai fifth seeds fought back from a set down to win 4-6, 6-4, 12-10 (super tie-break).

They will face Indonesia's Christopher Rungkat and Aldila Sutjiadi in the gold medal match today.

The Indonesian pair defeated Kaito Uesugi and Erina Hayashi of Japan 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in the other semi-final.

They will hope to become the only second Thai duo to win the Asian Games mixed doubles gold medal since Suthasini Sirikaya and Charuek Hengrasmee at the 1978 Games in Bangkok.

Luksika won the women's doubles gold medal with the now retired Tamarine Tanasugarn and singles silver at Incheon 2014, while Sonchat and his twin brother Sanchai took the men's doubles bronze four years ago.

Sanchai and Tamarine won the mixed bronze in Guangzhou 2010.

The Thai sepak takraw stars, meanwhile, put on another convincing display to highlight their status as title favourites for the men's team doubles gold.

Thailand were runaway winners against Japan, outclassing their rivals 2-0 in yesterday's semi-finals.

They will next face neighbours Laos, who whitewashed hosts Indonesia 2-0 in the other last-four contest, in the title showdown this morning.

In weightlifting, Rattanawan Wamalun did well to claim bronze in the women's 63kg category and deserves some plaudits for making an all-out effort to improve her personal best.

After managing 102kg on her third attempt in the snatch competition, Rattanawan trailed North Korean duo of Kim Hyo-Sim (113kg) and Choe Hyo-Sim (105kg).

The 23-year-old Rattanawan, from the northeastern province of Amnat Charoen, who was participating in her first Asian Games, finally carded a total of 225kg which matched her personal best recorded at last year's world championships.

Kim managed a total of 250kg to easily beat Choe (238kg).

The Thai rowers fared better in terms of medals as they picked up three bronze medals yesterday.

Prem Nampratueng and Jaruwat Saensuk were only a shade more than a second slower than Chinese duo Zhang Zhiyuan and Chan Sensen to finish third in the men's double sculls in six minutes and 49.62 seconds. Uzbekistan's Shakhboz Kholmurzaev and Shakhboz Abdujabborov took the gold in 6:48.19min.

Prem and Jaruwat also teamed up with Piyapong Arnunamang and Methasit Phromphoem to capture the men's quadruple sculls third place in 6:22.41min. India won the gold and Indonesia pocketed the silver.

Matinee Raruen and Phuttaraksa Neegree, a 44-year-old who already has two silver and five bronze medals in the Asian Games to her credit, were no match for the rowers from China and Iran in the women's lightweight double sculls, but their effort was still good enough to earn them a bronze.

China's Liang Guoru and Wu Qiang were the first across the finish line in 7:40.24min with Iran's Nazanin Rahmani and Maryam Omidiparsa second in 7:48.38. Matinee and Phuttaraksa finished the race in 7:54.23min.

In ju-jitsu, Banpot Lertthaisong beat Zhakshylyk Uranov of Kyrgyzstan 5-0 in the bronze medal match of the Newaza men's 69kg division.

It was Thailand's first ever Asian Games medal in the sport.

Thai golf prodigy Athaya Thitikul faces a tough task on the final day of the women's individual event today when she will be attempting to overcome a five-shot deficit and claim the top honours.

The 15-year-old Atthaya, who took the low amateur honours at this year's ANA Inspiration and Women's British Open, was tied for fifth place after her second 70 in a row.

China's Du Mohan, 16, led on 135, two strokes ahead of Japan's Ayaka Furue.

The Thai women's squad comprising Atthaya, Kultida Pramphan (145) and Kan Bunnabodee (148) were in sixth place on 285.

China were in pole position for the women's team title on 273, five strokes in front of Japan.

In the men's four-day individual contest, Sadom Kaewkanjana was joint fifth on 140 at halfway, trailing leader Keita Nakajima of Japan by four shots. Thailand were fourth in the team event.

In badminton, Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai defeated Indonesia's Debby Susanto and Ricky Kanrandasuwardi 20-22, 21-18, 21-13 to reach the mixed doubles quarter-finals.

Khosit Phetpradab and Kanthaphon Wangcharoen both advanced to the last 16 of the men's singles.

Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai lost to Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan of China 15-21, 17-21 in the women's doubles last 16 round.

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