Past 2-time champion Vera Zvonareva of Russia made a winning return to the PTT Thailand Open in Pattaya on Monday with a 6-2, 6-2 first round victory over China’s Qiang Wang at the Dusit Thani tennis center.
After taking a year off in 2013 to recover from a respiratory illness and a potentially career ending shoulder injury, the former world No. 2 returned to the WTA Tour last year but ended up playing only 5 events and was eliminated in the second round in Pattaya by eventual champion Ekaterina Makarova.
Russia’s Vera Zvonareva returns the ball to China’s Qiang Wang during their first round match at the 2015 PTT Thailand Open in Pattaya on Monday. (Photo/PTT Thailand Open)
This season has started more positively for Zvonareva and she has begun to show glimpses of her previous top form, reaching the quarter-finals of an ITF event in Hong Kong, the quarter-finals of the WTA tournament in Shenzhen, and putting up brave resistance to Serena Williams at the Australian Open before bowing out in the second round.
In Monday’s other matches, Switzerland’s Romina Oprandi was the first player to reach the second round as she beat Elena Vesnina 6-3, 6-3. The Russian wasn’t helped by her nine double-faults, and Oprandi was also able to fight off nine of 12 break points while Vesnina saved just one of seven. She was followed into round two by Puerto Rica’s finest, seventh seed Monica Puig, who defeated Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland 6-2 7-6 (4).
This weekend will see the conclusion of the tournament with the quarter-finals taking place on Friday (15.00), semi finals on Saturday (16.00) and the singles and doubles finals on Sunday (16.00). Tickets are on sale at 300, 500, 800 and 1,200 baht and can be purchased at the Dusit Thani Pattaya Resort.
For more information and up to date tournament information, contact the tournament office on site at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Pattaya or go to website: www. pentanglepromotions.com. Tickets can also be purchased through Thaiticketmajor on 02 262 3456 or website www. thaiticketmajor.com.
(Source – www.pentanglepromotions.com)
