The annual tournament, scheduled this year between Feb 15-27, is held at the National Tennis Development Centre in Nonthaburi in association with the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand (LTAT) under His Majesty’s patronage.
Not only did 12-year-old Tarita Hongyok, known as “Nong Ig”, win the female Under-14 singles final but she also paired up with fellow Phuketian Methinee Thongsaming to claim the runners-up spot in the female doubles Under-14 competition against Perlene Jiewpatanakul from Nakhon Si Thammarat and Bangkok’s Natrada Sakulwongthana 5-7, 6-0.
Ig, a student at the British International School, Phuket, then managed to overcome Natrada, ranked as one of the favourites from the program, 6-0, 6-2 to win the Under-14’s singles final.
Ig had previously made the news when she moved up the national rankings to become the second-ranked player in her age category in the country after she won her first National Masters title with a straight-sets victory in the Under-10’s LTAT season-closing Masters in 2019 in Bangkok.
Elsewhere, Phuket’s Chawin Limmanakul and his playing partner Ariyapol Leekul from Songkhla finished runners-up in the Under-14 male doubles final where they lost out to Bangkok duo Ryu Kotikul and Thanathorn Thawatphongsri 6-2, 6-3.
On Monday (Feb 21) The Phuket Sports Association paid tribute to the success of all three players on their website.