Wimbledon a Thai-free zone
There will be no Thais at Wimbledon for the first time in more than a decade after both Luksika Kumkhum and Tamarine Tanasugarn were eliminated in qualifying on Wednesday.
Thai ace Luksika blew away a 3-0 lead in the deciding set before going down to Romania’s Andreea Mitu 4-6 6-3 6-4 in the second round of qualifying.
“She was playing really great and serving unbelievably well,” said Luksika whose dream of playing her third consecutive major was smashed. The Thai reached the second round in Australia and lost in the first round of the French Open.
Tamarine, who limits herself to playing the doubles these days, bowed out of qualifying when she and Frenchwoman Stephanie Foretz, seeded second, were upset by British duo Katie Boulter and Katy Dunne 4-6 6-4 7-5. Tammy will be missing from the singles main draw for the first time since becoming eligible in 1997. This, with the loss of Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana in the men’s doubles qualifying on Monday, means that for the first time in 15 years Thailand will have no players in the grass major.
