Mamiit's 6-year SEAG reign ends

PALEMBANG – The Philippines No. 1 netter Cecil Mamiit ended his long reign in the tennis singles as he fell to second seed Christopher Rungkat of Indonesia, 6-2, 4-6, 6-8, in the semifinal round yesterday.

The 25-year-old Mamiit, the singles gold medal winner since the 2005 SEA Games in Manila, was obviously spent from the daily grind of the games that started Monday and simply could not match the staying power of the 21-year- old Indonesian who also presided over his country’s win over the Philippines in the team competitions.

Rungkat faces top seed Thai Danai Udomchoke for the gold medal today.

Alice Clarice Patrimonio, who came here in place of elder sister Christine, went as far as the semifinals where she bowed to top seed Lertheewak Noppawan of Thailand, 6-4, 6-1.

It’s also a battle of the top seeds in the women’s singles as Indonesia’s Ayu Kede Dwi also brushed aside Aung Thandar of Myanmar, 6-0, 6-3, to advance to the gold medal round.

The Philippines remained in the running in the mixed doubles where the pair of Denise Dy and Treat Conrad Huey bundled past the top seed Thai pair of Wongteancha Varatchaya and Ratiwatana Sonchat, 6-3, 6-2, in the quarterfinals.

They will next face the winner in the quarterfinal match between Indonesia and Cambodia.

The tandem of Patrimonio and Johnny Arcilla yielded to the Vietnamese, 7-5, 6-2, in the lower half of the division.

The Filipinas also bowed out of the women’s doubles with the loss of Dy and Patrimonio to Indonesian top seeds Damayanti and Rompies, 4-6, 7-5, 8-10.