The 19-year-old from Ratchaburi won a marathon three hour, 45 minute match as his exhausted opponent retired with cramps with the score at 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 4-1 to reach his first quarter-final in an ITF tournament.

"I didn't expect much before the match. He is No 2 in China and ranked No 397 in the world. This is by far my biggest win," said the delighted Kirati, who was not sure if he would survive in the match which started at 10am and finished at almost 2pm.

"Normally I would get cramps in a long match like this. I felt tired, but had no injury or cramps," said the Rajabhat Suan Dusit University student.

Kirati had a game plan going to the match, spinning the ball to Yu's weak backhand, which started to pay dividends in the second set as the Chinese player had difficulty returning the shots.

After the Thai had the second set in hand, his level of his confidence grew. But he never knew his rival was in trouble until he called for a medical time-out at 1-0 in the decider.

"After that he hardly moved and went for risky shots," said the Thai. "I realised there was something wrong with him.

"We spent three hours on the first two sets, so it was not a surprise to get cramps," added Kirati, who will play either eighth-seeded Nam Hyun-woo or Chung Hee-seok of South Korea.

"Either of them will be tough. South Korean players are very solid. You have to work hard for every point."

Elsewhere, top seed Chen Ti of Taiwan advanced in straight sets after a 6-4 6-3 victory over Australian Stephen Donald. Seventh-seeded An Jae-sung of South Korea beat countryman Kwon Hyung-tae 6-7 (7-5) 6-1 6-2 and sixth-seeded Zeng Shao-xuan of China beat Oh Seung-hoon of South Korea 6-2 6-0.

Lloyd named captain

nJohn Lloyd is Britain's new Davis Cup captain. The former British player succeeds Jeremy Bates, who quit last month after Britain's 3-2 loss to Israel in a Europe/Africa Zone Group I series.  "This is a proud moment for me," Lloyd said yesterday.

Lerpong Amsa-ngiam

The Nation