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Tamarine takes US Open ouster in stride
Tamarine Tanasugarn could not lift her game to match France's Amelie Mauresmo, but her bid for a quarter-final berth at the US Open even had royalty rising early back home in Thailand.
Tamarine Tanasugarn could not lift her game to match France's Amelie Mauresmo, but her bid for a quarter-final berth at the US Open even had royalty rising early back home in Thailand.
Fifth seed Mauresmo eliminated 39th-ranked Tamarine 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday at the year's final Grand Slam event, denying the Thai veteran her second Grand Slam quarter-final appearance.
"She never gave me a chance to get into the match," Tamarine said. "I have to give her respect. She played unbelievably. Since we've been playing against each other, this was her best match. She didn't make any mistakes."
Mauresmo denied Tamarine on six of seven break points and the Thai star made 29 unforced errors in a vain search for a solution.
"Everything I did, she had an answer for," Tamarine said.
Tamarine was excited to learn the match was televised live in her homeland and that the royal family was expected to be watching her the way they usually view Thai men's star Paradorn Srichaphan, who has a fourth-round match Monday.
"It was fantastic," Tamarine said. "I heard everyone was rooting for me like they do for Paradorn. Last night I was talking to my mom and I told her, 'Why are you going to sleep already?' She said, 'I have to wake up for your match.'
"I know there is big support also coming from the royal family. Apparently they followed Paradorn and my match too. The king is following us."
Overall, Tamarine was satisfied with her best US Open run and hopes to take the momentum from her effort here to her next event starting September 8 in Bali, Indonesia.
"I'm very happy with my US Open," she said. "I'm very happy with the way I'm playing right now."
