PH clinches silver in tennis men’s doubles at SEA Games

Jeson Patrombon in this September 2012 photo hits a return during the Davis Cup tennis competition in Jakarta. Patrombon and Ruben Gonzales bag silver honors in tennis men’s doubles at the Southeast Asian Games on Saturday. AFP

SINGAPORE—Jeson Patrombon and Ruben Gonzales bowed to Thai twins Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana, 6-4, 6-4, to settle for silver in tennis men’s doubles competitions of the Southeast Asian Games on Saturday.

Patrombon and Gonzales gave the Thai top seeds a run for their money but in the end faltered against the impeccable chemistry between the twins that was in full display at the Kallang Tennis Center hard courts.

The Thais, who also powered their country to the men’s team title early in the week, also bundled out the Philippines’ top-tier doubles partnership of Francis Casey Alcantara and Treat Huey (6-4, 4-6, 10-8) in the semifinals.

But the country still has two more chances of winning gold in the competitions through the mixed doubles and women’s double events.

Huey and Denise Dy, the reigning champions in the tourney, drubbed Tamarine Tanasugarn and Sanchai Ratiwatana of Thailand, 6-2, 6-3, to make the finals to be played on Sunday.

They will face another Thai pair Sonchat Ratiwatana and Peangtarn Plipuech in the gold medal match.

Also taking a crack at the gold on Sunday are Dy and Katharina Lehnert who barged into the finals of the women’s doubles following a 1-6, 6-2, 10-8 triumph over Thailand’s Tanasugarn and Plipuech in the semis.

For the title, Dy and Lehnert will take on Noppawan Lertcheewakarn and Varatchaya Wongteanchai also of Thailand who dumped Indonesia’s Aldila Sutjiadi and Jessy Rompies, 6-2, 6-3.