Resurgent Tammy stuns Big Gun in Japan
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Former champion Tamarine Tanasugarn upset third seed and world No 28 Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazahztan 6-3 6-2 in the opening round of the US$220,000 HP Japan Women's Open in Osaka yesterday.
The Thai No 1, who dropped to 133 this week after an injury-plagued season, took just 75 minutes to pull off the shock against her 25-year-old opponent for her fourth win in WTA singles this year.
“She started off a bit slow. In the second set, though the score made it look easy, there were so many long deuces. I played aggressive today and made fewer mistakes than Yaroslava,” said Tammy, who was a full decade older than her opponent.
Fitness issues and an elbow injury have hampered the former world No 19 for most of this season. She reached the quarter-finals in Pattaya in February, then the second round in Azerbijan. But since then, she had not won a main-draw match until yesterday.
“I have had so many injuries and so have not played much this year. Now my body is okay and I am just keeping my fingers crossed. I hope it stays like this,” said Tammy who beat Japan’s Kimiko Date Krumm for the 2010 title in a match that broke the WTA record for the oldest combined age of finalists, with the Thai aged 33 and the Japanese 40.
“My goal is to get to the main draw of the Australian Open next year. But I have 250 points to defend. I have good memories of this tournament and I hope to do well again,” said the veteran, who takes on rising US star Jamie Hampton in the second round.
Tamarine’s younger compatriots did not enjoy the same fortune yesterday. Qualifier Luksika Kumkhum lost to Mirjana Lucic of Croatia 4-6 6-3 6-4 in one hour and 55 minutes while Nudnida Luangnam lost to Verginie Razzano of France 6-3 6-3 in one hour and 27 minutes.
In the doubles first round, Thailand’s Varatchaya Wongteanchai and Japan’s Rika Fujiwara beat Misaki Doi and Riko Sawayanagi of Japan 6-3 6-4. Noppawan Lertcheewagarn and Chang Kai-chen of Taiwan lost to Darija Jurak and Katalin Marosi of Serbia 4-6 6-4 10-7.
