World number eight Venus Williams will be looking to rebound after a stumble in Japan and restart her torrid race up the world rankings at the Bangkok Open, which starts on Monday.
BANGKOK: World number eight Venus Williams will be looking to rebound after a stumble in Japan and restart her torrid race up the world rankings at the Bangkok Open, which starts on Monday.
The 27-year-old American, seeded second in the Thai tournament, was fresh off a win in Korea when France's Virginie Razzano posted a stunning upset, beating Williams at the Japan Open women's singles final on Saturday.
Bangkok will offer tough competition with Serbia's Jelena Jankovic, ranked world number three, as well as 16th ranked Shahar Peer of Israel in the draw. Williams will start the 200,000 dollar tournament with a match against Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki.
The Wimbledon singles champion, who planned to holiday in Thailand before abruptly entering the Japan Open, started the year ranked 54 but has rejuvenated her singles career. Her victory at Wimbledon and a semi-final appearance at the US Open helped pull Williams back in the top 10 for the first time since early 2006.
Jankovic leads Williams 2-1 in head-to-head meetings this year, but Bangkok could see a repeat of the US Open quarter-final that saw Williams rally from a set down to defeat the Serb star. Another showdown could pit the American against Peer in the semi-finals. The two have met just once, with Williams dismantling Peer 6-1, 6-1 in Memphis for her first singles title of 2007.
The Bangkok Open will be played at the newly-built National Tennis Development Centre. Last year's champion, unseeded American Vania King, will return to defend the title. Thailand's hopes lie with 86th-ranked Tamarine Tanasugarn.
Williams is gunning for her fourth singles title this year and her second in Asia in two weeks after a victory over Russia's Maria Kirilenko in Seoul late September won her the Korea Open title. The Bangkok Open final will be held on October 14.
Seeds/Rankings:
1) Jelena Jankovic (SRB, World number 3)
2) Venus Williams (USA, No. 8)
3) Shahar Peer (ISR, No. 16)
4) Virginie Razzano (FRA, No. 33)
5) Dominika Cibulkova (SVK, No. 47)
6) Aiko Nakamura (JPN, No. 52)
7) Flavia Pennetta (ITA, No. 53)
8) Ioana Raluca Olaru (ROU, No. 60)
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