HUA HIN, Thailand - World No.5 Elina Svitolina leads the field in the second edition of the GSB Thailand Open presented by EA, to be held in the seaside resort of Hua Hin between February 10-16, the tournament announced today.
The WTA International event will also feature twelve of the world’s Top 100 players including defending champion Dayana Yastremska, Wimbledon doubles champion Hsieh Su-Wei, former US Open champion Samantha Stosur and San Jose champion Zheng Saisai.
Our top seed and @WTA World No.5 @ElinaSvitolina has a special message for all the fans in #HuaHin #Thailandopen 😁 pic.twitter.com/VJP5T7lSwo
— WTA Thailand Open (@ThailandOpenHH) January 16, 2020
The player field and tournament sponsors were announced by H.E. Suwat Liptapanlop, former Deputy Prime Minister and current Chairman of the Tournament Committee, at a press conference at the Holiday Inn Sukhumvit, Bangkok.
"I am thrilled that the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has entrusted the Proud Group Company Limited and True Arena Hua Hin with the organization of this event," said H.E. Khun Suwat. "With regard to the world's top female tennis players, fans eager to see who will be coming this year to the GSB Thailand Open 2020 presented by EA will be very pleased. The line up is headlined by Elina Svitolina from Ukraine, currently ranked No.5 in the world and who reached the No. 3 spot in 2017. She is credited with 13 WTA women's singles titles, including the WTA Finals title in 2018. She has reached the semifinals of Grand Slam tournaments in Wimbledon and US Open 2019.
Can we ask all players to include dogs in their videos like @Zheng_Saisai 🐶😁 We hear PanPan is a big fan of #huahin too 🐶 😆 @WTA #thailandopen pic.twitter.com/rNpF0fmLh7
— WTA Thailand Open (@ThailandOpenHH) January 16, 2020
"In addition, the defending champion and rising star Dayana Yastremska from Ukraine will also make a return. From a ranking of No.47 when she won the title in 2019 she has now risen to No.24 in the world. Australia’s Samantha Stosur, former World No.4 and 2011 US Open Champion, will be a first time visitor to Hua Hin and will be a threat not only in singles but also in doubles where she is a three-time Grand Slam winner."
Thai tennis will be represented by former World No.19 Tamarine Tanasugarn, a stalwart of the sport, who will compete in the doubles competition. The 42-year-old will be joined by 25-year-old World No.816 Patcharin Cheapchandej, who has received a main draw wildcard, and 17-year-old former junior World No.14 Mananchaya Sawangkaew, who has received a wildcard for the qualifying draw. Both Cheapchandej and Sawangkaew received the wildcards for the competition from the Road To Thailand Open 2020 tournament.
