Hantuchova enters Pattaya Open as Tammy withdraws
Two time finalist Tamarine Tanasugarn has been forced to withdraw from next week's PTT Pattaya Open after picking up a wrist injury during practice.
Thailand’s No 1, who finished runner-up in 1996 and 2010, miss-hit a shot while training on Monday, which resulted in a torn ligament in her right wrist.
“I went to see a doctor on Tuesday and was advised to stop playing for three weeks. That means I cannot enter the Pattaya Open, which is disappointing because it’s a home tournament,” said Tammy, who also announced she would have to skip the Fed Cup Zone Asia Oceania in Kazakhstan the following week.
Tammy said she would return to courts in either Dubai or Malaysia in late February.
Meanwhile, defending champion Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia has made a late entry to the Pattaya tournament. Hantuchova, currently ranked No 44 in the world, won back-to-back Pattaya titles in 2011 and 2012. She joins a line-up of star players including Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic, Russia’s Maria Kirilenko, Germany’s Sabine Lisicki and Sorana Cirstea of Romania, who will battle for supremacy at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Pattaya, from Sunday to February 3.
Leading players such as Maria Kirilenko, Sorana Cirstea, Sabine Lisicki and Heather Watson have already arrived in Pattaya. Top seed Ana Ivanovic will arrive on today from Melbourne, while defending champion Daniela Hantuchova flies in from Vienna tomorrow.
The 16-draw qualifying competition will be held on Sunday and Monday, with main-draw matches commencing on Monday.
Tickets at Bt300, Bt500, Bt800 and Bt1,200 are on sale at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Pattaya, www.PentanglePromotions.com and at ThaiTicketMajor outlets.
