Tennis: Tammy to take on Russian in first round
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Tamarine Tanasugarn
PATTAYA : Thailand number one, Tamarine Tanasugarn, has been drawn against world number 77 from Russia, Alla Kudryavtseva in the first round of the US$220,000 PTT Pattaya Women's Open at Dusit Thani, Pattaya.
One of Thailand's most promising players, Noppawan Lertcheewakarn, ranked 413, will meet 139th-ranked Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa.
Tamarine, a wild card, has met her Russian opponent twice before, winning in Shanghai but losing in Bangalore.
Other Thai wild cards are Varatchaya Wongtienchai (408) who will face Chang Kai-Chen of Taiwan, while Suchanun Viratprasert will play the Kazakhstan world number 186, Sesil Karantantcheva
Number one seed, Russia's Vera Zvonareva, ranked 14 in the world, will play compatriot Ksenia Pervak, while second seed, Sabine Lisicki of Germany will face Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan. President of the Tennis Association of Thailand, Suwat Liptapanlop said it was good that Thailand had four players for certain in the first round and there may be even more if some get through the qualifying tournament. "It would be encouraging if one of our Thai players could reach the semi-finals," he said.
Noppawan is making her third appearance in the Pattaya Open. "I have never seen my South African opponent play but I know it won't be easy," she said. "This is my first year as a professional so I really want to play my best."
She said she had never got past the first round of this tournament so that will be her first goal this week.