Peangtarn survives scare to enter final
Second-seeded Thai Peangtarn Plipuech survived a series of booming forehands from Indian teenager Karman Kaur Thandi to set up a final with top seed Jacqueline Cako of the US in the US$25,000 Cal-Comp & XYZ Printing ITF Pro Circuit W3 at the True Arena on Saturday.
After two hours and five minutes, the 24-year-old Thai narrowly escaped with a 3-6 6-1 6-4 semi-final win against the big-hitting Thandi to reach her first final since her triumph in Tsukuba last August.
“I had to deal with a series of big forehands from her. But I knew if I kept hitting back she would miss. I felt exhausted but winning the match really helped me mentally,” said the 270th-ranked Peangtarn, who had easily beaten her 18-year-old rival, dropping just one game three years ago.
But unlike in 2014, Thandi was more aggressive yesterday. Play was three hours behind schedule due to rains. The Indian girl attacked her Thai rival on both wings with powerful forehands to take the first set. But inconsistency proved her bane as she sprayed a few forehands long to lose a crucial break in the seventh game of the decider.
Peangtarn came to Hua Hin with low self-esteem but three tough wins have boosted her confidence to do well against top seed Cako, who toppled fifth seed Harriet Dart of Britain 6-3 6-4.
“I really have no idea how she plays but I hope that I can trouble her with my game. It’s the top two seeds in the final. I may be the underdog but I will fight hard to win,” said Peangtarn, who is in her second US$25,000 ITF final.
Jacqueline Cako
Top seed Jacqueline Cako of the US reached her first final in almost seven years since finishing runner-up in Kristinehamn in Sweden 2010. She will be eyeing on her third ITF trophy after winning her first and second in Southlake and Wichita in 2008 and 2009 respectively.
In the doubles final, top pair Ankita Raina of India and Emily Webley-Smith of Great Britain beat Nudnida Luangnam and Zhang Yukun of China 6-2 6-0.
