Published on Published on May 2, 2004
Courtesy : Lerpong Amsa-ngiam
The Nation

Tamarine, Suchanan do Thais proud

[TENNIS] Just a fortnight after Thailand’s Davis Cup team clinched their third successive berth in the World Group Playoffs, the Thai Federation Cup team found themselves similarly in the spotlight – but with one difference. It was their first playoff spot in the history of the competition.

Since 1976 Thailand has been a regular participant in the nation vs nation tennis series for women and despite a lot of effort, Thai players have been unable to get anywhere near the playoff series.

After the qualifying format was applied in 1992, Thailand posed not much of a challenge for the Asian tennis powerhouses like Japan, South Korea, China and Indonesia. Forget about emerging as the overall champion in Zone Asia/Oceania because it was a tough assignment just to maintain their status in group 1.

Last year in Tokyo, the Thai squad propelled by Tamarine Tanasugarn and Suchanan Viratprasert sparked hopes for the team, staging a big upset win over Indonesia en route to the playoffs for the first time. Though the team eventually lost the chance to be promoted to the World Group Playoffs after surrendering to Japan 0-3, it served as a good boost for the team in their desire to go one better.

That came just one week ago. With Tammy and Suchanan again in the driving seat, the Thai team wrote a new chapter in local tennis history by becoming one of 16 nations to take part in the World Group Playoffs in July. That followed a historical win in the zone playoffs over host India 2-0 in New Delhi.

Thailand, the top seed, fielded its strongest ever line-up of Tamarine, Suchanan, Napaporn Tongsalee and young Monthinee Tangphong. The top four players in the country, they are all ranked within the top 400, and it showed as they dominated pool A throughout the week to end with an unbeaten record. They did not even need the deciding doubles after Tammy and Suchanan won their singles rubbers.

“Tammy played well although she lost many early rounds on the tour. Suchanan has improved amazingly from last year while Napaporn and Monthinee make the team even tougher. Overall, it’s the most perfect team we’ve ever had,” said team supervisor Phitsanu Arthakornsiripho.

Of the four, the 21-year-old Suchanan impressed Phitsanu, and even Tamarine herself, for contributing to the team’s success.

“She never gives up and chases every ball. She has a terrific back-hand cross and sometimes her serve and volleys surprise her opponents. She is a wholely different player from last year,’’ Phitsanu said.

“She definitely helped make things easy for me by winning the first rubber, so I didn’t have so much pressure going into the second. She was playing good tennis and our team needs a player like that,’’ Tammy said.

Her play is improving in leaps-and-bounds as witnessed by her tournament win in Ho Chi Minh City the preceding week. She extended her winning streak in the Indian capital and did not drop a match in three singles and one doubles.

“My confidence is quite high right now and to help the team make it to the World Group Playoffs is a great feeling. But it will be better if we win the playoffs to go into the World Group,’’ said Suchanan who is always looking for the next goal.

However, is the Thai Fed Cup team capable of causing some damage in the elite World Group Playoffs? That we’ll find out on the weekend of July 10-11 when the Thai women take on one of the eight World Group first round losers – Slovenia, Slovak Republic, Australia, Japan, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland and Croatia. The draw will be made tomorrow in London.

No matter whom they meet or where they play, the Thai team is determined not to see their run end at the Playoffs. While the Davis Cup team has made it to the Playoffs three times, they have never advanced further, losing to England and the Czech Republic in the previous two years and getting kicked back to the qualifying zone again. Will the women’s side break the ice first?

“If we are lucky to be drawn against a beatable team on home soil, we stand a good shot. I’m sure all the girls are looking forward to the tie and will try their best to win to make history. Tamarine especially would love to add something new to her portfolio before her career is over,’’ Phitsanu said.

But most of all, it’s the fans who will get a special treat if Thailand plays host for the tie.

“We have hosted the Davis Cup indoors several times but never the Fed Cup. We want to organise it so that it’s as huge as the Davis Cup. With Tamarine and Suchanan in the team, I can guarantee the fans will enjoy great matches,” said Phitsanu, the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand executive official.