Contented Thai teams crash out
[BEACH VOLLEYBALL] All the Thai teams went out of the Phuket Thailand Open at Karon beach in Phuket yesterday, while the top seeds sailed through to the semi-finals.
Despite being ahead during the first set, Thailand's No 2 team of Yupa Phukrongploy and Usa Tenpaksee proved no match for Dutch pair Merel Mooren and Rebekka Kadijk, who won in two sets. "Our shots were not aggressive enough, so our rivals could return and score," said Yupa. "We think that making it through the first round is an acceptable result for us because if we compete in other world-class events, we might not reach even the main draw." On the centre court yesterday, Thai No 1 pair Kamolthip Kulna and Jarunee Sannok failed to break the fluid game of Cuban world No 23 Tamara Larrea Peraza and Dalixia Fernandez Grasset and lost 21-15 21-17. "We lost to the Cubans for the second time," said Kamolthip. "The first loss to them was few years ago in China. This time they played a good attacking game which caused us to make errors," added the 29-year-old. Both Thai teams, who received consolation prizes of US$3,000 plus 120 ranking points, will travel to Hong Kong for an invitational tournament on Monday to warm up for the Asian Games in Doha. World No 7 pair Misty May Treanor and Kerri Walsh of the US downed compatriots Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs 22-20 21-15 yesterday, while world No 9 pair Nila Ann Hakedal and Ingrid Torlen came from behind to beat Germans Geeske Banck and Suzanne Lahme 17-21 21-13 18-16. China's world No 2 Tian Jia and Wang Jie tamed Morgane Faure and Virginie Sarpaux of France 21-16 21-13, while China's world No 3 Xue Chen and Zhang Xi edged out Rieke Brink Abeler and Hella Jurich of Germany 31-29 21-11. In the quarter-finals, China's Tian and Wang outlasted countrywomen Xue and Zhang to book their places in the semi-finals. Norwegians Hakedal and Torlen fell to reigning Olympic champions and 2005 world champions May Treanor and Walsh for the second time in two weeks as the Norwegians lost to the Americans in last week's semi-finals in Acapulco, Mexico. Today the quarter-finals will be held, while the group of losers competition starts at 10am and the semi-finals start at 3pm.
Somporn Suphop The Nation Phuket
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