Five Thais go out of Bangkok Open
Five Thai challengers were eliminated in the second qualifying round of the US$200,000 PTT Bangkok Open at the Rama Gardens Hotel yesterday.
Local hope Napaporn Tongsalee as well as four teenage compatriots saw their campaign collapse on day two of qualifying, leaving Tamarine Tanasugarn, Suchanan Viratprasert and Nudnida Luangnam as the only Thais playing in the main draw of the tournament, which starts today. Struggling with a back injury, Napaporn lost a tough three set match to sixth-seeded Argentine Mariana Diaz-Oliva 6-3 4-6 6-3. Sixteen-year-old Nungnadda Wannasuk had no answers to the more experienced Angelique Wida-jaja of Indonesia, losing 6-3 6-0. Top seed Yuan Meng of China ousted Noppawan Lertcheewakarn 6-1 6-1 and second-seeded Erika Takao of Japan also had no problem handling Nicha Lertpitaksinchai 6-1 6-3. The last Thai to be shown the exit yesterday was Varatchaya Wong-teanchai, who lost to fourth-seeded Ryoko Fuda of Japan 6-3 6-1. In other action, third-seeded Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan rolled South Korean Bae Hae-youm 6-0 6-1 and American seventh-seed Shikha Uberoi came from behind to beat China's Li Ting 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 6-2. There are only two main draw matches today with Germany's Julia Schruff taking on Finland's Emma Laine and hard-hitting American Jamea Jackson facing Hungarian Melinda Czink. For Thai fans, Tamarine Tanasugarn will take centre stage in the evening when she teams up with India's rising star Sania Mirza in the doubles. They will play Russian Alina Jidkova and China's Meng Yuan. Noppawan and Varatchaya will also test their mettle in the first round of today's doubles against Australian Nicole Pratt and Uberoi.
Today's order of play Centre Court matches start at 3pm: Meng Yuan (CHN) v Angelique Widjaja (INA); Julia Schruff (GER) v Emma Laine (FIN); Jamea Jackson (USA) v Melinda Czink (HUN); Sania Mirza (IND) Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) v Alina Jidkova (RUS) Meng Yuan (CHN). Court Five matches start at 3pm: Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) v Shikha Uberoi (IND); Erika Takao (JPN) v Zi Yan (CHN); Ryoko Fuda (JPN) v Mariana Diaz-Oliva (ARG); Noppawan Lertcheewakarn (THA) Varatchaya Wongteancha (THA) v Nicole Pratt (AUS) Shikha Uberoi (IND).
Lerpong Amsa-ngiam The Nation
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