Four locals reach round two in ITF Hua Hin
Veteran Nudnida Luangnam gave a tennis lesson to young compatriot Punnin Kovapitukted 6-1 6-4 as she advanced to the second round of the US$15,000 Cal-Comp & XYZ Printing ITF Pro Circuit W1 at the True Arena Hua Hin on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old player utilised her solid baseline play to beat Punnin, 16 years younger, to book a second round date with fourth-seeded Pei-Chi Lee of Taiwan who clawed back from 2-6 3-4 to beat Varunya Wongteanchai 2-6 6-4 6-3.
A total of four Thais successfully reserved their second round spots. That included qualifier Tamacham Momkoonthod who beat Kyra Shroff of India 6-4 6-2.
The other two local players beat countrywomen to advance to round two. Kamonwan Buayam ousted Watsachol Sawasdee 6-2 6-1 while qualifier Patcharin Cheapchandej dropped only two games to beat Mai Napatt Nirundorn, a daughter of former national player Pimpisamai Kansuthi, 6-0 6-2.
Top seed Margarita Lazareva of Russia was knocked out of the tournament by Chinese qualifier Zheng Wushuang 6-2 6-1. Third seed Estelle Cascino of France beat Shuyue Ma of China 6-3 6-1 and Britt Geukens of Belgium outlasted Aiko Yoshitomi of Japan 6-2 3-6 7-5.
