Asiad tennis team tunes up in Bangkok
Thailand's Asian Games-bound tennis team will use this week's US$50,000 Chang-SAT Bangkok Open at Rama Garden Hotel as a tune-up for the challenges ahead in Incheon.
Former Games gold medallist Danai Udomchoke, who will play in both the men’s singles and team event, will take on South Korea’s Chung Hyeon in the Challenger, which offers the biggest prize fund in men’s tennis in Thailand.
Thai No 2 Pruchya Isarow and three doubles specialists – Nuttanon Kadchapanan, Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwattana – are also using the event as a warm-up for the Asiad.
Pruchya is drawn against former Thai No 2 Kittipong Wachiramanowong while Nuttanon will face a tough challenge against second seed James Duckworth of Australia.
Sonchat and Sanchai, who won the Asian Games silver in Doha 2008, are the top seed in the doubles and will start against Australian Matt Reid and Jordan Thompson.
Meanwhile in the men’s singles first round yesterday, Go Soea of Japan, No 107, beat Uzbek Temur Ismailov 6-3 6-4. American Jason Jung picked off Australian teenager Jacob Grills 4-6 6-2 6-2 and Japanese Yasutka Uchiyama beat Thai wild card Congsup Congcar 6-3 6-1.
Two Thais qualified for the main draw. Chaleecharn Tanasugarn, younger brother of women’s ace Tamarine, beat Sarvar Ikramov 4-6 (12-10) 4-6 6-1 and Peerakiat Siriluethaiwattana downed Warot Udomsuk 6-3 3-6 6-0. Other successful qualifiers were second seed Christopher Rungjat who ousted Chayanon Kaewsutto 6-1 7-5 and sixth seed Sanjar Fayziev of Uzbekistan beat Woravin Kumthonkittikul 6-0 6-1.
