two stars in the world of tennis competed in the Intercontinental World Tennis Thailand Championship 2017 final match at SCB Center Court, True Tennis Arena, Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan. Simona Halep, from Romania, who holds the title of No. 1 female tennis player in the world faced off with world ranking No. 4, Karolina Pliskova, from the Czech Republic.
According to statistics from the WTA match, of the six times that both had met so far, Halep has won five times, and lost only once. The last time they competed during this year was the Grand Slam Tournament “French Open 2017” semi-finals in France, in which Halep won 2-1 sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
During the match in Hua Hin, Haleb showed as the more energetic and solid, chasing down all the shots with enthusiasm while Pliskova was overwhelmed with unforced errors and moved just a step slower, finally overcome for two sets (6-2, 6-3), with Haleb winning the Intercontinental World Tennis Thailand Championship.
Haleb commented, “Thank you all for the encouragement during these two days and thanks also to the organizers. I’m very pleased to win this championship, because the champions here have been very successful in the Australian Open.”
Pliskova added, “Getting to this tournament is a great preparation for the Australian Open. Over the past few days, I have enjoyed staying in Hua Hin and my most favourite thing was to offer food to monks and learning about Thai culture.”
At the award ceremony, Mr. Suwat Lipatapanlop, former Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF), awarded a 16-inch Benjarong plate to Simona Haleb and awarded 14-inch Benjarong bowl to Karolina Pliskova. He also presented a memorial painting to all four world-ranking tennis players.
The ceremony was also attended by Mr. Chotinarin Kerdsom, Deputy Governor Prachuap Khiri-Khan; Mr. Nopporn Wutthikul, Mayor of Hua Hin; Ms. Prawput Lipatapanlop, Executive Director of True Aurina Hua Hin; Mr. France Cyril Rod Diquez, General Manager, Holiday Inn Resort Vana Nava Hua Hin, from InterContinental Hotels Group Brands – IHG; Ms. Thonghatai Phetchat, Acting Director of Marketing, Thai Drinks Co. Ltd.; Mr. Piyadej Thongsima, Deputy Managing Director, Nakornthon Hospital; and Mr. Surapon Utintu, Director of External Coordinating Office, Thai Beverage PCL, who posed for group photographs together with the four tennis players.