Thailand bounce back with triple gold in SEA Games tennis

Thailand capped off the 2025 SEA Games tennis competition in style, clinching three gold medals at the National Tennis Development Center on Friday. 

The strong finish was a swift rebound from two defeats to Indonesia in both the men’s and women’s team finals last Saturday.

The turning point came on Thursday when Maximus Jones and Pruchya Isaro clinched the men’s doubles crown, edging Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul and Pawit Sornlaksup 7-5, 3-6, 10-6. On Saturday, Thailand added further glory with an all-Thai showdown between regional heavyweights Maximus Jones (world No. 354) and Kasidit Samrej (No. 418). Jones lived up to his billing, powering through in three sets 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 to become Thailand’s first men’s singles gold medalist in a decade, following Warit Sornbutnark’s triumph in Singapore in 2015.

The SEA Games tennis actions ended with another all-Thai clash in the mixed doubles, where Pruchya and Peangtarn Plipuech dominated Pawit and Patcharin Cheapchandej 6-1, 6-2.

For Peangtarn, the win was a personal redemption after she and Mananchaya Sawangkaew fell earlier to Indonesia’s Janice Tjen and Aldila Sutjiadi in the women’s doubles final.
 

Elsewhere, the women’s singles final delivered one of the tournament’s highlights. Filipina star Alexandra Eala, ranked world No. 51, swept past Mananchaya 6-1, 6-2 to end the Philippines’ 26-year drought in the event.

Despite early setbacks, Thailand closed the tennis campaign on a high, finishing with three golds, seven silvers, and one bronze – just shy of their target of four golds.