• 
• 

Published on August 21, 2007

Yan and Zheng, who engraved their names in Chinese history as the first from their nation to win Grand Slam events, will be the ones to watch in the tournament apart from world No 3 Jelena Jankovic from Serbia and American Venus Williams, the current Wimbledon champion.

The super duo, who once reached No 4 in the doubles rankings, won titles this year in Charleston and Strasbourg, before a left ankle injury to Zheng forced the break-up of the pairing.

Both players have also proved that their competence is not limited only to doubles. Zheng won two WTA singles titles in 2006, at Estoril and Stockholm, while Yan last week recorded some fine wins in the Rogers Cup in Canada beating French Open runner-up Serbian Anna Ivanovic and Russian Elena Dementieva before losing to top seed Justine Henin.

Jankovic became one of two players, apart from Henin, who qualified for the year-end championships in Madrid on the back of a tremendous season, which has seen her win four WTA titles to date.

The PTT Thailand Open is scheduled at the LTAT National Tennis Centre in Muang Thong Thani from October 6-14. Tickets are on sale at Bt300 and 500 for the period October 8-11 and Bt500, 800 and 1,000 for October 12-14. Admission is free for the qualifying rounds on October 6-7. For information and bookings, please contact Pentangle Promotions Co Ltd on 02-3818703-4, 02-3823491 - 3. E-mail ppc@pentanglepromotions.com

Meanwhile, Tamarine Tanasugarn and Danai Udomchoke will spearhead the Thai tennis challenge at December's SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima where they will be making their swan-song appearance in the regional sports extravaganza.

Tamarine, the gold medallist in 1995, will return to the Games for the first time in 10 years.

Lerpong Amsa-ngiam

The Nation