Nudnida Hopes to Return to Heyday
Hua Hin - After seven months of being sidelined with injury, former SEA Games silver medalist Nudnida Luangnam remained positive about her chance to return to the top 200 as she enters the on-going US$25,000 Singha Cal-Comp & XYZ Printing ITF Pro Circuit
The former 195 th ranked who stopped playing between January to July this year due to twisted left ankle, received a wildcard into the tournament with features world No 194 Arina Rodionova of Australia as the top seed and circuit 1 champion Gao Xinyu of China.
Now at 29, the oldest active Thais on the tour, Nudnida said she was completely cured and was eager to return to the top form that led her to two US$25,000 titles and seven US$10,000 wins.
“This is the longest break I ever had. I used to have a back injury and ankle injury but I stopped playing only a few months. I’m in my six events after the lay-off and I want to play as many matches as possible in order to get my momentum back to the level that I had during my peak,” said the Sukhothai-born who cracked the top 200 in 2013.
Despite the injury break, Nudnida never gave up of hope that she would be able to return to the scene. She never stopped going to the gym and remained one of the fittest female tennis players in the country.
“I still went to the gym every day even I was able to hit the ball on court,” added Nudnida, one of a very few Thais with ITF wins on clay.
“As long as I stay healthy I believe there’s a chance for me to reach the top 200 again or go up even higher. You just cannot hope for a better draw or luck as new girls are quite strong. What I have to do is to get fitter than before to catch up with them,” added Nudnida. She will face 18-year-old Gao who just celebrated her first US$25,000 crown here on Saturday.
The second week of the Hua Hin Women’s Circuit is tougher that the previous week with all direct accepted players being inside the top 470. Thai No 2 Peangtarn Plipuech who just finished runner-up in the doubles of the WTA in Seoul yesterday is seeded fifth and will take on rising star Kamonwan Buayam in the all Thai affair. Other Thai hope Nicha Lertpitaksinchai, seeded seventh, will play Peangtarn’s younger sister Plobrung, the only Thai survivor in the last qualifying round yesterday after she recovered from a break down in the second set to beat Chinese big-hitting Li Yixuan 5-7 7-5 6-0.
Also facing a tough opening round is teen prodigy Bunyawi Thamchaiwat as she has an uphill task against Chinese second seed Lu Jia-Jing, the 236th ranked.
Noppawan Lertcheewakarn, the only Thai to reach the semi-final last week, has a much easier draw than her fellow Thais as she is pitted up against Fatma Al Nabhani of Oman.
