Poonin Kobapitukted and Luksika Khumkum (Thailand) have won the doubles title at the 2023 NH Bank International Women’s Tennis Tour (Nonghyup Challenger). The pair overcame the double whammy of rain and traffic to claim the title in South Korea.
Kobapitukted-Kumkum defeated Guo Hanyu-Tang Qianhui (China) 6-3 1-6 [10-6] in a match tiebreaker in the ITF Nonghyup Challenger (W25K) doubles final on Sunday at Konkuk University Tennis Center in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province.
The biggest variable of the day was the rain. On July 27, it rained all day across the Seoul metropolitan area. There were no indoor courts at Nonghyup University Olwon Tennis Court in Goyang, where the tournament was held, and indoor tennis courts in the suburbs of Goyang City were unavailable due to scheduled events.
In the end, the indoor court was booked at Konkuk University in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, about 90 kilometers from Goyang City. Normally, it would take about an hour and 40 minutes to get there, but the 27th was the start of the Buddha Day holiday. On top of that, it was raining, and it took over three hours to get to the indoor court at Konkuk University.
Due to the long travel time and waiting, the players struggled to maintain their physical condition. Among them, China’s Guo Hanyu had the most difficult time. After losing in the singles quarterfinals the day before, Guo Hanyu felt heavy throughout the doubles final.
The two teams split the first and second sets, but in the match tiebreaker, Kovapitukted-Kumkum took a commanding lead early on to claim the ITF Nonghyup Challenger title.
In the singles, Korean-American Hannah Chang (USA, World No. 349) and Manachaya Sawangkaew (Thailand, World No. 392) reached the final. Zhang defeated Liu Fangzhou (China, World No. 714) 6-4 6-3, while Sawangkaew defeated Guo Hanyu (China, World No. 667) 6-2 6-4.
Zhang Hanna had been in three-set matches from the first round to the quarterfinals, but this time was different. She was aggressive from the start, taking control of rallies and cruising to an easy win. “I don’t have any physical problems,” she said, showing a strong will to win the Nonghyup Challenger title.
Sawangkanu complained of some nausea at the beginning of the first set, but it didn’t affect her performance. After defeating second-seeded Lizette Cabrera (AUS) the day before, she also upset Guo Hanyu, who had been in top form throughout the tournament. Guo Hanyu’s bid for a second consecutive inner core title came to an end on the 27th.메이저사이트
The final of the 2023 Nonghyup Challenger will be held at Nonghyup University Olwon Tennis Court from 2 p.m. on the 28th. However, if the rain continues on the 28th, the event will be moved to the indoor courts of the Incheon Yeolmul Stadium Tennis Center after 6pm.