Doubles pair makes Thai Fed Cup team look very good

The awesome foursome of Luksika Kumkhum, Tamarine Tanasugarn, Noppawan Lertcheewakarn and Varatchaya Wongteanchai did a pretty good job to win against Uzbekistan without any defeats in the pool stages of the competition or in the play-off, in which the Kingdom prevailed 2-1 by taking the crucial point from the doubles match. 

In fact, it was the doubles that played a big part in Thailand topping the pool stage, with Luksika and Tammy beating Yaroslava Shvedova and Galina Voskoboeva 6-4 7-6 (7-3) of Kazakhstan in the second round.

For years the doubles has always been the Achilles heel of the Thai women’s team in competitions such as the SEA Games, Asian Games and Fed Cup. When the Kingdom were in the elite group II play-offs years ago, they were solid in the singles with Tammy, then still in the top 100, and Suchanan Viratprasert coming up with their best when representing the country. But sadly we lacked a good doubles team and consequently lost two big ties – the 2004 World Group Play-off to Australia in Bangkok (there was only one World Group stage then; World Group I and II started in 2005) and the 2005 World Group II to Croatia in Phuket.

In those two ties, Thailand and two visiting nations were locked at 2-2 from the singles rubbers and required a last point from the doubles to decide the winner. 

In 2004, the inexperienced Monthinee Tangphong and Napaporn Tongsalee (now known as Preeyakorn Saleevoraroj) narrowly went down to Lisa Mcshea and Christina Wheeler 4-6 6-3 7-5 of Australia in the tie. Had the match gone in our favour, the country would have made history by reaching the World Group for the first time. 

Then in 2005, Tammy and Napaporn, despite being a good doubles team, did not have much to offer against Jelena Kostanic and Matea Mezak of Croatia and ended up losing that rubber 6-4 6-2.

But things have been changing over the last few years. Thai players, besides being decent singles players, have developed good doubles skills. We all know that Luksika, No 102, is a talented baseline player. She is also capable of producing good performances in the doubles when it counts. Her pairing with Tammy, not an original choice by the team, proved very successful. Victories in the ties against Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were a clear indication that she has the game for doubles. Even Noppawan can be a force in the doubles. She reached the WTA doubles final with Australian Jessica Moore in Kuala Lumpur three years ago. But Varatchaya is better known for her doubles expertise than her skill as a singles player.

Thailand have a great chance of progressing in the World Group II play-off match in Sweden in April. The hosts have only one player in the top 100 – Johanna Larsson (No 83), while Sofia Arvidsson, the Swedish No 2, is ranked 128. The latter was knocked out by Luksika in the Australian Open first round last year, which should give a boost to the Thai team. 

If Thailand are eyeing a return to World Group II, after nine years, this could be the year.