Luksika rallies to stay alive
Local rising star Luksika Kumkhum rallied from a first-set loss to beat China's Sun Sheng-nan 1-6 6-4 6-2 in the US$25,000 ITF Women's Circuit in Phuket yesterday.
The 18-year-old from Chanthaburi was bombarded with aggressive shots by Sun before finding her range with well-placed counter-punches.
Luksika was the lone Thai survivor from first-round action yesterday. Two local wild-card holders, Tanaporn Thongsing and Julaluck Sae-eung, barely tested their rivals. Tanaporn
lost to Misa Eguchi of Japan 6-1 6-1 while Julaluck was beaten by fifth-seed Claire Feuerstein of France 6-1 6-0.
Former world No 59 and third-seeded Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium beat Marta Sirotskina of Russia 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7-3). Fourth-seeded Reka Luca Jani of Hungary beat Tetyana Arefyeva of Ukraine 6-4 6-3.
In the doubles category, Thai No 2 Noppawan Lertchewakarn and Japan’s Erika Sema upset Varatchaya Wongteanchai and Kim So-jung of South Korea 6-2 6-4.
