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Published on September 23, 2007

In front of a handful of fans at the Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani, 20-year-old Weerapat from Chon Buri staved off two set points in the second set to advance to the next round with a 6-4 7-6 (9-7) win over Sri Lanka's Harshana Godamann.

"I should have done better. I was up a break in the second set, but I had problems with my running forehand,'' said Weerapat, the wild-card holder, who is ranked 740 in the world.

"He was not consistent and would end up missing his shots if I kept hitting to his backhand. It would have been easier if I had put him under more pressure,'' added the national player, who faces a tough task in the next match against American top seed Zack Fleishman, who had a first-round bye.

"I have to serve and return better in the next match. It's a good chance to play someone with high ranking and I have nothing to lose,'' he said.

Teenage rising star Peerakiat easily trounced Japan's Katsushi Fukuda 6-3 6-3 to set up a clash with sixth-seeded Gouichi Motomura in round two.

"I felt a bit of pressure going into my first match but I attacked well and served well. I have to discuss with my coach first on how to play my next opponent,'' said the 17-year-old Peerkiat.

Other Thais collapsed in their campaigns. Peerakit Siributwong went down to third-seeded Simon Stadler of Germany 3-6 6-4 2-6, Sornsakol Supakit lost to American Scott Lipsky 3-6 1-6 and Pongphun Chimdee was toppled by South African Jeff Coetzee 2-6 1-6.

Elsewhere, fifth-seeded Goerge Bastl of Switzerland pipped Slovenain Luka Gregorc 3-6 7-5 6-4, American Phillip King ousted compatriot Eric Butorac 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 6-1, and German Dominik Meffert beat Dutchman Rogier Wassen 7-6 (7-4) 6-1.

 Japan's Gouichi Motomura dismissed Australian Ashley Fisher 6-3 6-2 and South African Chris Haggard tamed Russian Dimitri Sitak by 6-2

6-2.

Jankovic-Szavay final

nIn Beijing, Hungarian teenager Agnes Szavay ended the Chinese challenge in Beijing yesterday with a 6-1 6-2 semi-final defeat of Peng Shuai.

The comprehensive victory, completed in 68 minutes, means US Open quarter-finalist Szavay will face second-seed Jelena Jankovic in today's final of the China Open.

The Serb, in the hunt for her fifth trophy this season, ended the eight-match Asian winning streak of Lindsay Davenport, halting the American's career comeback 6-3, 7-5.