Tammy beats top seed Eguchi for place in semis
Tamarine Tanasugarn continued her impressive run in the US$25,000 Singha-BEC Tero ITF Women Circuit 2 by knocking out top seed Misa Eguchi of Japan 6-1 6-4 in the quarter-finals at the Rama Garden hotel yesterday.
The veteran cruised through the opening set in less than 30 minutes before relying on experience to bounce back from 2-4 in the second set and close out the match in just over an hour of hot and humid play.
“I was a bit lucky today as she didn’t play as well as she did at the Asian Games. She couldn’t get her first serves in and she made a lot of errors on the backhand side,” said Tammy, ranked 387th in the world.
The 37-year-old, who is bidding to return to the top 100 for the first time since 2011, had trouble in the second set when the Asiad bronze medallist changed tack by using short drop-volleys. Tammy hit back by hugging the net to cut off the rallies.
Serving for the match at 5-4, the Thai needed three match points before Eguchi finally sliced a backhand into the net.
“She changed her game a bit in the second set and I had to adjust to that. I was lucky to serve out that final game after falling 15-40. It’s good to be in the semi-finals,” Tammy added.
Bidding for her second title of the season after winning the crown in Noto, Japan, Tammy now faces a semi-final against world No 172 and fourth seed Elizaveta Kulichoka of Russia who trounced Li Chang of China 6-3 6-1.
“Elizaveta is a powerful player. She has big flat groundstrokes and serves powerfully. It depends on which one of us deals with the situation better. I have to focus even more tomorrow.”
Two fellow Thais fared less well yesterday, when sixth seed Lesley Kerkhove of the Netherlands beat Varatchaya Wongteanchai 7-6 3-6 6-2 and Croatia’s Tereza Mrdeza toppled Kamonwan Buayam 6-1 6-2.
