NAKHON RATCHASIMA. — Fil-Ams Cecil Mamiit
and Denise Dy toppled the top-seeded Thai tandem of Somchat
Ratiwatana and Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-4, 6-0 Thursday to
advance to the mixed doubles finals of the 24th SEA Games
tennis competitions here.
After a tight battle in the first set,
Mamiit and Dy blanked the Thai pair in the second set to wrap
up the contest in 63 minutes and silence the hometown gallery
at His Majesty the King’s 80th Anniversary Tennis Center.
The RP duo will go for the gold against the
other Thai pair of Sanchai Ratiwatana and Napaporn Tonsalee,
who ousted the other RP pair of Eric Taino and Diane Matias
6-2, 6-2 in the other semis match. Taino and Matias settled
for the bronze.
Mamiit and Taino, the No. 2 seeds in the
men’s doubles, were to take on Malaysia’s Kanaraj Balakrishn
and Rawi Azlan in the quarterfinals later in the day.
The mixed doubles finals will be the last
event to be disputed on Saturday after the men’s and women’s
doubles championships, respectively, starting at 10 a.m. (11
a.m. Manila time).
Mamiit also defends his men’s singles
tennis title against Thai top seed Danai Udomchoke Friday.
"I felt I wasn’t really in shape when I
first Danai here. I hope things will be different this time,"
said Mamiit, who dropped a 4-6, 4-6 decision to the Thai in
the men’s team event a week ago.
The second-ranked Mamiit and Udomchoke
square off at the His Majesty’s the King’s 80th Anniversary
Tennis Center court at 10 a.m. (11 a.m. Manila time).
"This time I really want to work him all
over the court. Danai is a streaky player but I know I can
take him," said Mamiit, who is currently ranked No. 489 in the
Association of Tennis Professional rankings and has a 3-3
score in his head-to-head battle with the Thai.
The 31-year-old Filipino-American said he
is grateful he remains injury-free despite also playing in the
men’s doubles with Eric Taino and with Denise Dy in the mixed
doubles.
"This is why I’m confident about my game right now," Mamiit
said.
