Feat of clay as Thailand cruise to Davis Cup victory

By Lerpong Amsa-ngiam 
The Nation

 

Thailand's Davis Cup team celebrates after their win over the Philippines. Nation Photo by Korbphuk Phromrekha

 

Birthday boy Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul proved that he also had some clay skill as he beat Jeson Patrombon 6-4 1-6 7-5 to propel Thailand to a 4-1 win over host Philippines in the Davis Cup Zone Asia/Oceania Qualifying Group II second round tie at the Philippine Columbian Association in Manila on Sunday.
 

The Kingdom’s No 1 player, who turned 23, shrugged off rusty form in the second set to win a hard-fought encounter that lasted two hours and twenty minutes.

 

 “This is a great present for me, helping Thailand to win and reach the final. It was a tough match. I had to stay focused on this surface, which is not easy to play,” said the Thai No 1 and world No 453.

 

With the teams level at 1-1 after Saturday’s opening singles, Thailand had gone ahead 2-1 when Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana came from behind to beat the inspired Francis Casey Alcantara and Johnny Arcilla 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 before Wishaya sealed overall victory at 3-1 in he best-of-five tie.

 

Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana 

 

“They played unbelievable at the beginning while we just tried to hang in there waiting for them to lose momentum. We knew if we took the second set, we would come back to win the match,” said Sonchat after recording his 20th Davis Cup win.

The elder Sanchai said: “In the third set the momentum went to our side as they seemed to lose confidence. We needed to win this point so Wishaya could wrap it up in his rubber.”

 

Wishya Trongcharoenchaikul 

 

In the dead rubber, teenager Palaphoom Kovapitukted beat John Bryan Descasa Otico 6-4 6-3.

 

Thai captain Weerapat Dokmaiklee was happy his team got the mission done and vowed to do all he could to help Thailand win promotion to Group I next year.

 

“I’m proud of my players to win this tie, even though clay is not our best surface. We are one win away from Group I. Our goal is to go back to Group I,” he said.

 

Since losing a Group I  playoff  in 2015 and being relegated to group II the following year, Thailand have now progressed into the final of Group II for the third successive year.

 

They will face Lebanon in September to battle for promotion to Group I in 2019.

 

Palaphoom Kovapitukted 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/sports/30342751

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-09

Very well done

A pity it isn't the Davis Cup. 

Yes well done. that's not Yingluck holding the flag, is it? surely not!