 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|||||||||||||||
     
|
Sports Match pointsBy Suwitcha Chaiyong, Photos by Varuth Hirunyatheb and courtesy of Bangkok Post Tennis twins are doubles trouble
While hopes for a Thai singles tennis champion are low, twin players Sonchat (Ton) and Sanchai Ratiwatana (Tong) are getting doubles fans excited. Currently ranked No. 49 by the Association of Tennis Professionals, the 26-year-old brothers are seeing their hard work and determination pay off.
Coached by their father Chatchai, a former tennis professional, Ton and Tong have been immersed in the game since they were 5 years old. At first they didn�t take the game too seriously � tennis for the twins was just a fun way to get some exercise. By the time they were 17, though, they managed to become national team players, turning pro at age 22. The brothers won their first ATP title prize at the 2007 Thailand Open. Soon after that, they grabbed a second ATP title at the 2008 Chennai Open in India. Student Weekly recently met up with the twins at their usual practise court. Tong wore an ankle brace that helped us keep track of who was who. After a while, we also noticed that Tong was more calm than his excitable brother. The twins talked about what it takes to be tennis champs. Student Weekly: You guys look similar � how about your playing styles?
Tong: Ton�s style is more aggressive than mine. My game is more relaxed and calm. Student Weekly: What made you decide to play tennis for a living? Ton: When we were younger, we intended to be national players, but we didn�t think too much about making a living from it. We�ve been part of the national team since we were 17. Eventually we realised that we could do it professionally. Student Weekly: You both started out playing singles. When did you decide to focus on doubles? Ton: After we won the first prize at the Dharwad Open ATP Challenger for doubles in 2003. Our doubles ranking was better than our singles, so we decided to focus on that. Student Weekly: Why do you think you play better as a team? Tong: Our similar appearance confuses our competitors. [Laughs.] In competitions, we always look for the weaker player in the other team. So do our competitors, but they get confused because we look alike. Ton: Playing doubles requires strong teamwork. Some players only team up for a competition, but we�ve always practised and hung out together. Student Weekly: Does having a twin teammate cause any problems? Tong: Because we�re so close, we sometimes upset each other by speaking too bluntly. Ton is a bit of a hothead, and he likes to be outspoken. Student Weekly: How do you deal with Ton�s outspokenness? Tong: I just stay quiet! Student Weekly: What match are you most proud of so far? Tong: The ATP Thailand Open, for sure. It was our first ATP title prize and we won it in our home country. Ton: Every match we play for Thailand is great. Student Weekly: How do you deal with losing a game? Ton: One of the good things about playing tennis is that we play every week, so we don�t have time to be devastated. If we ever lose, we feel a bit hurt, but the next day we start working toward the next match. Student Weekly: Do you ever get bored with tennis? Ton: We always make sure we take time out to relax. In 2003, we spent three months doing tours and competitions. When we arrived home, we didn�t touch our rackets for 10 days. Tong: We usually feel ready to start practising again after a few days off. Student Weekly: What�s your next goal? Ton: We aim to reach the top 30 and qualify to participate in the Olympic Games. We need a lot of scores to get there. Student Weekly: How about lifetime goals? Ton: We�d love to win a Grand Slam. That would be the achievement of a lifetime.
|
|
American twin brothers Bob and Mike Bryan are the No. 1 ATP
doubles team.
