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Asian Games: Indonesia ends title drought, wins gold in tennis mixed doubles
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Indonesian mixed pair Christopher Rungkat (left) and Aldila Sutjiadi pose with their gold medals after beating Sonchat Ratiwatana and Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand 6-4, 5-7, 10-7 at Jakabaring Sport City in Palembang, South Sumatra on Saturday. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)
I
ndonesian mixed doubles pair Aldila Sutjiadi and Christoper Rungkat successfully ended the country’s 28 year title drought by winning gold in the Asian Games mixed doubles tennis competition on Saturday, beating the fifth-seeded pair of Luksika Kumkhum and Sonchat Ratiwatana of Thailand.
The Indonesian pair won a tiebreak to claim victory 6-4, 5-7, (10-7). The 11th seeded pair won the country’s only medal in the sport at these Games. The last time Indonesia won a gold medal in mixed-doubles was when the pair of Yayuk Basuki and Suharyadi won gold at the 1990 Beijing Asian Games.
However, Christopher, in a post-match interview, acknowledged that the road to victory had been difficult, as they repeatedly went up against tough opponents.
“We beat them through hard work and persistence,” he told The Jakarta Post.
He also added that it was his first win paired with Aldila and that the win had boosted his motivation to seek glory at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
“We are targeting the Olympics,” he said.
Some of the country’s top brass such as Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nachrowi, South Sumatra Governor Alex Noerdin, Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono and National Development Planning Agency chief Bambang Brodjonegoro were spotted among the spectators at the final. (dic)
