Thais need win to stay in Group 1

Thailand fell short of earning an outright assurance of another year in the Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Group 1 as they went down 2-1 to South Korea in their last Pool B battle in New Delhi yesterday.

Thailand now need a victory in a playoff against Hong Kong, the cellar-dwellers in Pool A, today to retain their place in Group 1.

Pool A winners Kazakhstan will take on Japan, who topped the Pool B table, in a clash which offers a place in the World Group 2 play-offs in April.

The third-placed teams from each pool play off against the countries finishing fourth in the other pool. The two losers will be relegated to Asia/Oceania Group 2 next year.

Thailand lost to Japan 3-0 in the opening tie of the Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group 1 on Wednesday before beating Taiwan 2-1 on Thursday.

In yesterday’s opening singles rubber, Thailand’s Nicha Lertpitaksinchai, who is ranked No.574 in the world, went down 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 0-6 to South Korea’s Keong Sunam.

Thailand’s world No.99 Luksika Kumkhum restored the balance by taming Han Na-Lae, who at No.255 is South Korea’s topranked female player.

Luksika, who has been in great form since the start of this year, took the opening set by blanking her rival 6-0.

Han recovered well to claim the second 6-2 to push the rubber into the deciding third set, which Luksika eventually won 7-5 after a marathon battle.

The deciding third set was another epic battle in which Luksika and Peangtarn Plipuech fought off a spirited a challenge by Han and Kim Na-Ri to put Thailand ahead with a 7-5 win in the opening set.

The two sides remained engaged in a close tussle as the second set was taken by the South Korean pair following a 7-3 tie-break victory.

The gruelling clash finally ended when Han and Kim downed the Thai duo 6-3 to steal second place in Pool B.