THAILAND’S Nanthana Komwong returns to Chan Lai Ha of Macau during the table tennis competition in the 15th Asian Games in Doha yesterday.

Thailand women's team got off to a flying start with a 3-0 whitewash of inexperienced Macau in the round-robin preliminaries of the Asian Games table tennis competition at the Al-Arabi Indoor Hall yesterday.

The victory and Tajikistan's withdrawal means that the Thai squad are assured of a quarter-final berth in Doha. They take on a strong Singapore side, ranked fifth in the world, in an inconsequential Group D match this morning (10am Doha time and 2pm Bangkok time).

Ace Nanthana Komwong, the two-time SEA Games bronze medallist, put Thailand in front against Macau with a clinical decimation of Chan Lai Ha 11-7 11-4 11-6.

Team-mate Anisara Muangsuk widened the gap with a 11-7 11-1 11-6 triumph over Ma Chao In. Suttilux Rattanaprayoon ended the Macau's challenge with a 11-3 11-4 11-4 victory over Wong Iok Sim in the third encounter.

"Macau are not strong and my girls beat them comprehensively," said Thai team manager Kornkij Sermkijseree.

"It's very difficult to beat Singapore as most of their players are Chinese-born and have an inherent advantage. It will be a nice lesson for our girls. They will get a chance to study their tactics and techniques. When we take them on in a year's time at the SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, we will be on a firmer ground."

North Korea, India and Uzbekistan make up Group A, while China, Hong Kong and Vietnam are in Group B. Group C consists of South Korea, Japan, Lebanon and Mongolia, while Group D has Singapore, Thailand and Macao.

Only top two teams from each group make it to the quarter-finals, after which a draw will take place to decide the pairings in the knock-out round.

In baseball, Krissada Heebthong scored a single run for Thailand as they went down 1-4 to China in their round-robin first game.

Krissada, who has been playing baseball professionally in Japan, had talked down the Kingdom's chances of beating China and he was proved correct.

"We are here to obtain experience because baseball is not really popular in Thailand. We are not expecting any medal but hoping to win at least a game," he said.

"It would have been great if we had beaten China but that would be asking for more. It, no doubt, would have boosted the game's popularity in the country and our confidence. It's pity we lost the game." Meanwhile, volleyball head coach Suthichai Chanbunchee is confident that the team will easily win against Tajikistan tonight.

The Thai women's squad are in Group B along with Tajikistan, Japan, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Defending champions and Athens Olympics winners China are in Group A with Vietnam, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.

"I am hopeful of clearing the first hurdle. Tajikistan are playing for the first time in the Games and I don't think they are a serious threat to my girls," Suthichai said.

The Thai team, powered by hard-hitting Patcharee Sangmuang, Pluemjit Thinkaow and Amporn Hyapha, has taken part in the World Grand Prix five times this year. They also entered the Olympic Games qualification round, the Asian Games and the Asian Championships, as well as being crowned as the SEA Games champions for the sixth straight time.

And for the first time, they also won the Princess Cup. Thailand's best finish in the quadrennial sporting events is a fourth place in 1998 at home. In Busan, South Korea, four years ago, Thailand finished a disappointing fifth.

"My team has the height average against the Tajiki girls and it's going to be a cruise," Suthichai said.

The Thai girls will take on Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Japan on December 2, 4 and 5 respectively.

Meanwhile, after the end of the first-round clash in the men's volleyball competition on Tuesday, Taiwan, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Macao joined Thailand in Group B for the second round, with Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE joining India in Group A.

Thailand and India are the two teams entering the second round directly after receiving a first-round bye.

However, it will be a tough battle in the second round, as only the top team from each group will advance to the last eight. Hosts Qatar, China, Japan, Korea, Iran and Kazakhstan received first and second-round byes and will open their campaigns in the quarter-finals.

Preechachan     Wiriyanupappong

The Nation

Doha