OLYMPIC
TOR CHITTINAND
Tamarine has been in fine form over the last two months. |
Thai star Tamarine Tanasugarn will be playing in her fourth successive Olympics after receiving a special invitation from the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
The Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand (LTAT) said yesterday it was informed by the ITF that there had been four withdrawals and Tamarine was handed a special invitation because of her impressive run in the last two months.
''The ITF mentioned in a statement that Tamarine had been given a chance to play at the 2008 Olympic Games because she had shown a great performance in June and July,'' said LTAT secretary-general Bannawit Kengrien.
Tamarine won the Ordina Open in the Netherlands after beating French Open finalist Dinara Safina of Russia in the final.
The Thai, who is currently number 38 in the world, went on to beat second-seed Jelena Jankovic to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon before losing to eventual champion Venus Williams.
''Thanks to her outstanding performance, the ITF decided to give one of the special invitations to Tamarine,'' said Adm Bannawit.
The players who pulled out were France's Mary Pierce and Amelie Mauresmo, Italy's Karin Knapp and Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands.
Tamarine's father Veerachai Tanasugarn, a former basketball player who played in the Olympics in the 1960s, will be in Beijing as Tamarine's coach.
''I am very happy to hear the good news for my daughter. She always wants to play for Thailand,'' he said. ''This will be her last Olympics as she will be 35 in the next Games.''
Tamarine will become the second Thai athlete to participate in four Olympics after swimmer Rattapong Sirisanont.
She is the 51th Thai athlete for the Beijing Games. She took part in three Olympics in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
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