The top seed, who played for Thailand in the Fed Cup for the first time this year, is drawn to take on Japan's Yuka Kuroda in the first round.

Aged only 19 and ranked No 404 in the world, Nudnida has yet to live up to her seeding. Last week she was knocked out in the quarter-finals in the first leg of the circuit by Indonesian Ayu-Fani Damayanti at the Rama Gardens Hotel.

Another Thai Fed Cup representative, Thassha Vitayaviroj, the fifth-seed, plays Dutchwoman Selma Andrade. The other Thai player, Pichitra Thongdach, who is seeded No 8, has the toughest assignment as she faces last week's champion, Chan Wing-Yau Venise of Hong Kong.

Second-seed Maki Arai of Japan opens her account against Yang Zi-jun of Hong Kong, while third-seed Punam Reddy of India plays local wild card entry Sophia Mulsap.

Fourth-seeded Filipina Czarina-Mae Arevalo has an easy first round against Vietnam's Nguyen Thuy-dung.

Indonesia's Damayanti, who lost in the final to Chan in the first leg, meets local rising star Nicha Lertpitaksinchai.

Meanwhile in Lexington, Kentucky, four Thais will be in action in the $50,000 Third Bank Tennis Championships. Thailand's top two - Tamarine Tanasugarn, who is recovering from a leg injury, and Suchanan Viratprasert - will compete in the main draw.

But Napaporn Tongsalee and Montinee Tangphong have to play in the qualifying rounds. Napaporn, the fourth seeded qualifier, has a first round-bye, but Montinee will launch campaign against Sarah Coles of Great Britain.

Meanwhile in Stuttgart, Germany, Spanish third seed David Ferrer beat Argentine Jose Acasuso in a gruelling five sets to win the final of the ATP tournament on Sunday.

Comebacks were the order of the day as the world No 18 emerged the victor 6-4 3-6 6-7 (3/7) 7-5 6-4 after the fifth seed blew a number of chances to take the critical fourth set.

The 24-year-old Spaniard, whose sole ATP title to date was against Acasuso in Bucharest in 2002, took 45 minutes to wrap up the first set, breaking through at

4-4.

Lerpong Amsa-ngiam

The Nation