With an overflow crowd egging him on, and hundreds more waiting outside to get a peep of the action at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center, Mamiit gave the performance of his life.
When Udomchoke netted a backhand volley for the final point of the match, the crowd gave Mamiit a standing ovation, cheered him like a conquering hero that he was and lapped his oncourt antics that included an impromptu dance with two Thai mascots.
"I think this is the best tennis I’ve ever played. All the tennis the whole week made me feel better and play better and better," said Mamiit after the gruelling two-hour, 30-minute contest that began in bright sunshine and ended under the lights.
"We (Udomchoke) were talking right after the match and we agreed that it was a perfect day for tennis. We really played out those points and never let up even when someone is down. It’s a good thing that I was able to regain my energy in the third set, with the help of the crowd and my experience."
It was the first men’s singles gold since Felix Barrientos registered the feat in 1991, also at the Rizal Tennis center, in a three-gold medal performance, and the 14th overall for the country since it started participating in the biennial event in 1977.
Mamiit will go for his third gold medal today when he teams up with Eric Taino in the men’s doubles finals against defending champions Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatata of Thailand.
Mamiit andTaino, defeated Indonesians Indonesians Prima Simpatiaji and Sunu Wahyu Trijati, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-2, in the semifinals late last night.
The men’s doubles victory put put the Philippines on track for the unofficial overall championship. The event offers seven gold medals in the men’s and women’s divisions. The Philippines is tied with Indonesia after five finals events with two each.
Earlier, Taino and another Fil-American, Riza Zalameda, gave the Philippines a finals appearancein the mixed doubles when they ousted Sanchai Ratiwatana and Montinee Thangphong of Thailand, 6-2, 6-3.
Taino, who is on track for a four-medal finish, and Zalameda tangle with Indonesians Suwandi Suwandi and Wynne Prakusya for the gold medal today.
Taino’s and Zalameda’s win erased the stigma of the 2-6, 7-6 (4), 3-6 loss absorbed by Zalameda and Denise Dy from Prakusya and Romana Tedjakusuma of Indonesia in the women’s doubles semifinals earlier.
Zalameda and Dy settled for the bronze medal.
