Qualifiers book their place at BNP Paribas World Team Cup

Written by: Staff on 20th February 2012

Qualifiers book their place at BNP Paribas World Team Cup

Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand returns the ball during her women's singles first round match against Ekaterina Makarova of Russia on the second day of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 17 January 2012. EPA/MAST IRHAM |

Sri Lanka and Thailand secured their places in the men’s World Group 2 and women’s World Group events for May’s BNP Paribas World Team Cup in Seoul, Korea, after winning the first of four regional qualification events in New Delhi, India, on Sunday.

Top seeds Sri Lanka got off to a solid start in the men’s event, Dissanayake Gamini and Upali Rajakurna both securing 64 61 victories in their singles rubbers against Malaysia and then teaming up in the doubles to wrap up a 3-0 victory in the first of Sri Lanka’s two round-robin ties.

After both teams had beaten India 3-0, Sri Lanka and Malaysia went head-to-head again in Sunday’s final play-off tie, Gamini and Rajakaruna again emulating each other with 62 61 wins over King Hong Kee and Abu Samah Borhan respectively to wrap up overall victory.

In the women’s event, Thailand and Australia both beat Sri Lanka in the round-robin phase of the competition without dropping a game in any of their singles or doubles rubbers.

Thailand’s Chusri Inthanin had beaten Luba Josevksi 60 60 as Thailand beat Australia 3-0 in their round-robin tie, but when they met again in the final play-off Inthanin met more resistance before prevailing 64 62. But former world No. 6 Sakhorn Khanthast went on to seal another comfortable victory for Thailand after easing past Janet Manns 60 60.

After the Asia/Oceania pre-qualifying event, the regional qualifier for the Americas starts today in Mexico. For more coverage visit www.itftennis.com/wheelchair