Now 26 to telecast Futures and Circuits

Sponsored by CalComp & XYZ printing, six men’s Futures and five women’s Circuits, each with a total prize money of US$10,000, plus two US$25,000 women’s Circuits are to be held from August 22 until December at the True Arena Hua Hin with Now 26 telecasting the event.

The return of the ITF series is good news for local tennis players, especially women. Only three ATP Challengers were organised in the Kingdom over the past seven months. Without ITF tournaments at home, many players slipped down the rankings as they could not afford overseas travel and stay. The country’s top two players Puriwat Chatpatcharoen and Pruchya Isarow were ranked inside the top 750 last year but are 871 and 913 respectively due to lack of local ITF events.

The two local stars, Davis Cup player Kittipong Wachiramanowong and Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul  will be awarded wildcards into the main draw of the ITF Men’s Futures which starts on August 22. The event also features Taiwanese world No 244 Chen Ti, South African rising star Lloyd Harris and Japanese Shuichi Sekiguchi, who won Thailand Futures 4 last year in Bangkok.

Highlights of each of the ITF Thailand Pro Circuit series will be teleฌcast on Channel Now 26 every Friday between 12.15pm12.45pm.

“Now 26 has broadcast several sport events including Thai boxing, taekฌwondo, basketball and volleyball. It’s our aim to bring sports closer to the audience and now we have agreed to add tennis to our programme to give more variety to the viewers,” said Somsakul Phaochindamuk, director of Now 26.