Ratiwatanas wary of big-hitters in all-Thai doubles final
THAI TWINS Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana and young guns Kittipong Wachiramanowong and Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul set up a historic first all-Thai Challenger doubles final today in the US$50,000 Bangkok Open at Rama Gardens Hotel.
The top-seeded siblings rallied from a set down to beat Llyod Harris of South Africa and Amir Weintraub of Israel 3-6 6-3 10-7 yesterday, while Kittipong and Wishaya upset second seed Sergey Betov of Belarus and Ukraine’s Denys Molchanov 7-6 (8-6) 3-6 10-6.
The Ratiwatanas go into the final as the favourites, having won more than a dozen Challenger events, including this one in 2010.
“It’s our goal to win the title here as we are the top seed. But Kittipong and Wishaya have nothing to lose. When big-hitters team up together, they give you a tough match,” said Sanchai, in his fourth Challenger final this season.
Kittipong is in his second Challenger final and lost the previous one to the twins in 2012 when he teamed up with South African Ruan Roelofse in Anning, China. Wishaya is into his first final.
“I’m happy it’s an all-Thai affair and especially to be playing the twins, for whom I have great respect. I will try to play to my level to grab my chance tomorrow,” said 26-year-old Kittipong.
“I’m excited as this is my first Challenger final. I have to stay focused and stick to my game plan like I have done so far,” said Wishaya.
In the singles quarter-finals, top seed Go Soeda of Japan ended the run of No 6 seed Chen Ti of Taiwan, who won the ITF Futures 1 in Hua Hin last week, 6-4 6-3 in one hour and 35 minutes.
But second seed Wu Di of China was knocked out by Slovak Norbert Gombos 6-2 6-2 in just 57 minutes, landing the 345th-ranked player his first Challenger semi-final in more than a year.
“I’m happy to reach my first semi-final as this season I’m returning from a knee injury. I had surgery [early this year] and haven’t played much. Winning three matches here really helped me a lot,’’ said the 26-year-old Gombos, who reached a career best of No 103 in May last year.
"I played solid game today. I didnt make easy mistakes. I was serving well. I made him under pressure. I'm glad I won." Gombos won two Challengers in Cherbourg and Prague last year. To add his third, he first needs to overcome 2013 champion Blaz Kavcic, the former world No 68 who toppled eighth seed Yuya Kibi of Japan 6-2 6-2 in 57 minutes
“I have a tough match waiting for me against Kavcic, who is a former top 100 player,” Gombos said.
