FILE–Jeson Patrombom and Francis Alcantara of the Philippines. INQUIRER PHOTO/AUGUST DELA CRUZ
BAC NINH, Vietnam—It’s going to be another All-Filipino showdown for the men’s doubles gold medal of tennis in the 31st Southeast Asian Games at the Hanaka Sports and Service Center.
Ruben Gonzales and Treat Huey partnered perfectly in beating Vietnam’s Giang Trinh Linh and Mihn Tuan Pham, 6-4, 6-2, to arrange the final duel with their 2019 tormentors Jeson Patrombon and Francis Casey Alcantara, who scored a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over another Vietnamese pair, Quoc Khan Le and Văn Phuong Nguyen.
The gold medal match is set for Saturday.
“We are now assured of a gold and a silver in the men’s doubles again,” men’s tennis coach Chris Cuarto said. “It’s really a big relief for the team despite all the difficulties we encountered in Manila.”
Top seed Alex Eala, however, settled for a bronze medal after losing to fourth-seeded Thai Luksika Kumkhum, 4-6, 1-6, in the women’s singles semifinals.
“For Alex, there’s still a lot to learn and more SEA Games tournaments to play,” Cuarto said of the 16-year-old rising star. “It’s going to be her time soon,”
Eala and Huey settled for the bronze medal on Thursday night after losing to Thailand’s Pruchya Isaro and Patcharin Cheapchandej, 6-3, 6-3, 10-4, in the mixed doubles semifinals.