Young Bloods Upset Twins for Bangkok Challenger Doubles Title
Young guns Kittipong Wachiramanowong and Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul upset top pair Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana 7-6 (11-9) 6-3 in the first ever ATP Challenger all Thai doubles final of the US$50,000 Bangkok Open Challenger 4 at Rama Gardens Hotel yest
The dark horses, despite in their first appearance in a Challenger final together, showed no intimidation against the 2010 champions who have won a total of 39 Challenger titles.
“I felt just 50 per cent confident going into the match as the twins have long experience,” said 26-year-old Kittipong who successfully avenged his loss to the twins in the Anning Challenger final in 2012 where he and Ruan Roelofse of South Africa went down to the twins 6-4 7-6 (11-13).
“But as the match went on we were getting better and better. Wishaya has the game. I have to give him credits for his net play. I’m happy to win my first Challenger and I hope to win more and more,” added the pony-tailed Kittipong.
For 21-year-old Wishaya, this win becomes a new highlight in his career.
“I tried to focus on my game and stayed aggressive. I’m so happy as this is the biggest win for me,” said Wishaya who plans to skip next week’s Futures in Hua Hin to rest his right shoulder.
Kittipong then will head to the beach city alone for the ITF Hua Hin Men’s Futures 3 where he will switch to team up with fellow national teammate Pruchya Isararow while Sonchat and Sanchai will enter their next Challenger in Shanghai.
In the singles semi-finals, top seed Go Soeda of Japan easily trounced former world No 39 Marinko Matosevic of Australia 6-3 6-2 to revenge his two set defeat to the Australian in the 2014 Malaysian Open.
The world No 147 Soeda served two aces to close out the 44 minute first set 6-3. After facing some fight from Matosevic, the Japanese took full charge after the fifth game as the Australian made more errors and failed to stay in the rallies.
Soeda who has won 18 Challenger titles will play the final against 2013 champion Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia who beat Nobert Gombos of Slovak Republic 6-4 7-6 (7-2) . The two just met in the final of the Winnipeg Challenger in July where Soeda beat the Slovenian in three sets. Soeda also reached the Bangkok Open Challenger 1 final in January and lost to former top 10 player Mikhail Youzhny 3-6 4-6.
In Hua Hin, Indian N Sriram Balaji upset top seed Seong Chan Hong of South Korea 6-4 7-6 (7-3) to lift up his first Futures title in two year in the final round of the US$10,000 Thailand ITF Tennis Pro Circuit Futures 2 at True Arena Hua Hin. He and Vijay Prashanth also won the doubles title together on Friday.
