Local hopes rest with veteran duo
Thai hopes rest with a veteran duo after defending champions and current Asian Beach Games winners Varapatsorn Radarong/Tanarattha Udomchavee crashed out in the women's quarter-finals of the 4th Khanom-Chang Asian Beach Volleyball Tour Khanom Open at Nad
In the play-offs on Wednesday morning, Thailand 1’s top seeds Varapatsorn/Tanarattha struggled past Kazakhstan 2’s Samalikova Bakhtygul/Lyubov Bogatu in three sets, 19-21 21-18 15-11.
That earned the Thai pair an afternoon quarter-final against Japan 2’s Ayumi Kusano/Matsumi Ozaki. Despite being cheered on by a home crowd braving sapping heat to support their players, Varapatsorn and Tanarattha succumbed to sizzling play by the Japanese, going down 21-19 21-19. At press time yesterday the title-holders were battling for a consolation 5th place.
Thailand 2’s veterans Jarunee Sannok/Usa Tenpaksee, who captured the inaugural Bali-hosted Asian Beach Games in Indonesia in 2008, restored local pride by securing a semi-final berth in the women’s event.
After two straight wins on the opening day, Jarunee and Usa maintained their superb form on Wednesday to thrash India’s Karri Veera Venkata Santhi Devi/Jayaraman Mahesari 21-12 21-6 in just 25 minutes.
Into the quarter-finals, the Thai duo overcame a strong challenge from Japan 1’s Takemi Nishibori/Sayaka Mizoe. Jarunee/Usa to win a gruelling encounter 19-21 21-17 15-11 in 50 minutes.
The Thais now face a semi-final against Japan 2’s Ayumi Kusano/Mutsumi Ozaki, who pulled off a stunning victory over defending champions Tanarattha/Varapatsorn in the quarter-finals.
In the other women’s semi-final yesterday, Australia 1’s Louise Anne Bawden and Taliqua Shanice Clancy were due to go up against Kazakhstan 1’s Tatyana Mashkova and Irina Tsimbalova, silver medallists at the previous edition.
On the men’s side, hot favourites and defending champs Alexandr Dyachenko/Alexey Sidorenko of Kazakhstan 1 added to their two wins on the opening day by seeing off India 1’s Chalapathi Ramakrishnam Raju Mudunuri/Naresh Tumpera 21-14 21-13. Then a bye in the quarter-finals saw the Kazakhs into the semi-finals without breaking sweat.
In yesterday’s semi-finals, Dyachenko and Sidorenko were facing New Zealand 2’s Ben Martin O’Dea/Jason William Lochhead at press time. The other semi-final clash pits New Zealand 1’s Samuel John O’Dea/Brendon John Heath against Australia 1’s Isaac Leonard Kapa/Christopher Bernard McHugh.
