THAILAND’S Tamarine Tanasugarn works out at the fitness centre in the Rama Gardens Hotel yesterday.

[Tennis]Thai star Tamarine Tanasugarn needs a first round win to boost her confidence in the US$200,000 PTT Bangkok Open at the Rama Gardens Hotel as rain interrupted most of the programme yesterday.

Thailand's major hope in the tournament is due to kick off her campaign today against Colombian Catalina Castano in the first round. Only one qualifying match was played yesterday before heavy rain suspended play.

Tamarine has made it back into the top 100 rankings for the first time in more than a year and was ranked at No 97 this week. The wild card holder said she could get far in the tournament if she clears her first hurdle against Castano, a replacement for Spaniard Lourdes Dominiguez Lino who pulled out due to a right shoulder injury.

"Castano is tougher because she has more experience and has a variety of shots. I need to win this match to regain my confidence," said Tamarine, who defeated the Colombian 6-7 (2-7) 6-1 6-2 at Wimbledon in July.

Although the Thai has one win over the Colombian, she considers herself an underdog on the slow courts at the Rama Gardens Hotel.

"The atmosphere is different this time because she doesn't like grass, but I do. The court here is quite slow like clay, so I think it will suit her game more," added Tamarine, who crashed out in the first round last year after losing to Conchita Martinez of Spain.

Castano, No 55 in the world, made it to round two last year before falling to Martinez. Since making it into a quarter-final in Budapest in July, she has yet to move beyond a second round.

Tamarine won few WTA matches this year, but reached the third round at Wimbledon and the quarter-finals in Kolkata, her first in more than a year, and the second round last week in Tashkent.

"I'm glad to be back to the top 100 again. I need points to guarantee my place in the Australian Open's main draw next year."

But she is concerned about her right ankle injury, which has bothered her since the US Open. The injury affected her match against Uzbekistan's Iroda Tulyaganova which she lost 6-4 6-1 last week in Tashkent. She was later advised by a therapist to withdraw from the doubles semi-final in that tournament.

"I felt a lot better after a few day's rest. I don't feel pain now but don't know what will happen in the match," she said.

Tamarine teams up with big-hitting Indian Sania Mirza for the first time in the doubles. They were scheduled to play Russian Alina Jidkova and China's Meng Yuan last night, but the match was cancelled because of rain.

"Mirza and I are friends. So I think it will be a great idea if we play doubles together. She is a talented player," added Tamarine, who promised to take the Indian shopping.

Lerpong Amsa-ngiam

The Nation