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Noppawan Lertcheewakarn (Thai: นพวรรณ เลิศชีวกานต์; born November 18, 1991) is a female Thai tennis player currently playing in the junior circuit. She was crowned ITF World Champion 2008 as a junior, becoming the first Asian female player to hold this accolade.[1] One of her most recognizable performances was in 2008 when she entered the 2008 Wimbledon Championships Girls' Singles Tournament as the third seed, where she made her first Grand Slam juniors final. But the young Thai star was eventually defeated in the final by British opponent Laura Robson in three sets 6–3, 3–6, 6–1. This was only the second time that a Thai player (after Tamarine Tanasugarn in 1995) had reached any Wimbledon final. Later that year, Lertcheewakarn and Sandra Roma won the 2008 U.S. Open Girls' doubles competition, winning 6–0, 6–2 against Mallory Burdette and Sloane Stephens. This was the first time a Thai tennis player had won any kind of Grand Slam title.[2] Lertcheewakarn won her second junior Grand Slam title when she and Elena Bogdan reached the final of the 2009 French Open Girls' doubles contest as the second seeds. They defeated Tímea Babos and Heather Watson 3–6, 6–3, 10–8 (Super Tiebreak). At the 2009 Wimbledon Championships, Lertcheewakarn won her first junior grand slam singles title by defeating Junior World Junior No.1 Kristina Mladenovic in the final, 3–6, 6–3, 6–1. Lertcheewakarn and Sally Peers later faced Mladenovic and Silvia Nirjic in the Doubles contest the following day and won comprehensively, 6–1, 6–1 in the final.
[edit] Playing styleLertcheewakarn is a respected player with powerful groundstrokes for her age, with her two-handed backhand and forehand. However, her serve is considered as her weak point.[citation needed] She has been developing her game with new American coaches, since October 2008.[citation needed] Noppawan's role models are Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn, and fellow two-handed forehand players Marion Bartoli and Monica Seles. [edit] Career[edit] Early lifeLertcheewakarn has been playing tennis since the age of four. The sport was introduced by her parents as it is a family's favourite sport. Having played tennis almost everyday in the tennis court around her own house, Lertcheewakarn fell in love with the game. She once said "it just gives me a bonding feeling, it's like I could be in a tennis court all day and I'll never get bored". During the age of 10 while she was practising tennis, Marek Malaszszak, Steffi Graf's Junior-career coach who is married to a Thai woman and revitalised in Thailand, coincidentally, saw her and suddenly recognised her potential and knew that she could be big. He took her in his training and coached her for two years for free, then he introduced her to Rico Fowler the establisher of RICO Foundation[3]. , who also saw something in her, he dealt to sponsor the girl. Thanks to the Rico foundation, Lertcheewakarn's opportunity has opened up, she participated much more in the major events, both junior and women circuits, at the age of 14 she finally broke into top 100 in Junior Circuit and the rank kept rising. One year later, she was chosen to be in the Rising Star Programme, organized by the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand, which meant a great chance for her to develop her career, she dropped out from the middle school, and travelled from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. Yet, there's still one rough condition, both of her parents couldn't move along with her and the 15 year-old girl needed to live by herself. Luckily, the former Thai politician and the vice chairman of Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand, Chaipak Siriwat, has voluntary adopted her and became the rightful guardian. She has then lived with his family and started her own path in becoming a professional tennis player. [edit] Junior careerNamed world No.1 in ITF junior circuit, becoming the first female Thai player to hold that position. In following weeks, Lertcheewakarn won the 2008 Junior World Championship and had her most consistent effort among the players in the girls’ circuit, capturing four singles in Asia and two doubles titles the year including US Open double title.[4] [edit] 2006Lertcheewakarn started playing her first ITF Circuit events in Poland and advanced into the third round, before losing to Martina Balogova of Slovakia. In doubles events, Lertcheewakarn won two ITF Circuit events in Jakarta and Manilla by partnering with Varatchaya Wongteanchai. [edit] 2007Lertcheewakarn made WTA Tour main draw debut at Pattaya as qualifier but lost to Aiko Nakamura in three sets. In qualifying she defeated world No.228 Shikha Uberoi of India 1–6, 7–6(3), 6–2 in the first round, upset fifth–seeded and world No.159 Chin–Wei Chan of Chinese Taipei 6–1, 6–4 in the first round and knocked out top seed and world No.97 Melinda Czink of Hungary 6–4, 6–2 in the final qualifying round. [edit] 2008In May, Lertcheewakarn won her first pro title in singles at $25,000 Balikpapan, defeating the top seed Isha Lakhani of India in straight sets. At the 2008 Wimbledon Championships, Lertcheewakarn reached the final round in girls' singles event, before losing to home favourite Laura Robson in three sets, 3–6, 6–3, 1–6. At the 2008 US Open (tennis), Lertcheewakarn partnering with Sandra Roma won girls' doubles competition winning in straight sets, against American duo Mallory Burdette and Sloane Stephens. In December, Lertcheewakarn named ITF Junior World Champions with career–high of No. 1 on the ITF Junior Singles Rankings at the end of the year. [edit] 2009Lertcheewakarn has started the year with the number one ranking in junior circuit. After being disappointed by the Australian Open committee in the matter of getting chosen to be a wildcard player in the senior maindraw. In first round of Australian Open 2009 Girls' Singles, she beat Brazil's Fernanda Feria 6–0, 6–0. She went on to lose in the semi–final after she was defeated by Laura Robson in straight sets 6–4, 6–3. In double, Lertcheewakarn partnered with Indonesian, Beatrice Gumalya. The number two seeds cruised to the semifinal for the first time, however they were defeated by Alexandra Krunic and Sandra Zaniewska 6–2, 7–6(2). In Fed Cup, Asia Oceania Group, Thailand was in group B with Australia, Korea and Taiwan. Lertcheewakarn teamed up with Varatchaya Wongteanchai, they beat Korean and Taiwan team but lost to Australian double specialists, Rennae Stubbs and Casey Dellacqua, 6–4, 6–2. Thailand finished in third place behind Australia and New Zealand, after upsetting Indonesia, in which Lertcheewakarn partnering with Tamarine Tanasugarn took their double winning point to Thailand. In 2009 Pattaya Women's Open, Lertcheewakarn, as a wildcard, lost early in first round match against Shahar Peer, which lasted nearly 52 minutes with a score, 6–1, 6–0. Lertcheewakarn reached her first final of the year in Hamilton, New Zealand, without dropping a set nor lose more than 4 games in each set to her opponents. Though, Lertcheewakarn lost to the Indonesian Ayu–Fani Damayanti,4–6, 6–4, 3–6.[5] At the Roland Garros, Lertcheewakarn was 5th seed, but lost early in the first round to the Dutch Richel Hogenkamp in straight set 6–4, 6–3. However, She teamed along with Elena Bogdan won the second junior grand slam title by beating Tímea Babos and Heather Watson, 3–6, 6–3, 10–8. Lertcheewakarn started playing her first grand slam at Wimbledon. She entered a qualifying draw as a wildcard. In first round, She lost to World No.163 Vesna Manasieva in three sets, 7–6(7), 4–6, 1–6. In the first round of Junior Girls' Singles, after Lertcheewakarn was a 3–5 behind Alejandra Granillo. She saved 5 match points and unbelievably won in this match, 3–6, 6–3, 7–5. After that, she beat Nastja Kolar 6–1, 6–3, Tamaryn Hendler 6–4,6–3, Silvia Njiric 6–4, 6–4 and Tímea Babos in straight sets, 6–2, 6–0. In the final, She beat World Junior No. 1 Kristina Mladenovic who is also a winner at French Open and Roehamton just a week ago, 3–6, 6–3, 6–1. Lertcheewakarn, partnered with Sally Peers, won her third junior grand slam doubles title by beating Kristina Mladenovic and Silvia Njirić in straight sets, 6–1, 6–1. In a $75,000 ITF tournament in Vancouver, Lertcheewakarn advanced to the quarterfinal round by beating sixth seed Laurence Albanse and former world No. 32 Olga Puchkova, after losing to second seed and home favourite Stephanie Dubois, 1–6, 0–6. Lertcheewakarn played her last junior tournament at the US Open. She defeated Sina Haas of Germany, Valeria Solovieva of Russia, and Ulrikke Eikeri of Norway, but losing to Heather Watson of Great Britain in the quarterfinals among playing in the indoor hard court.[6][7] [edit] ITF Circuit finals[edit] Singles: 5 (2-3)
[edit] Doubles: 5 (3-2)
[edit] Junior Grand slam finals[edit] Grand Slam girls' singles finals: 2 (1-1)
[edit] Grand Slam girls' doubles finals: 4 (3-1)
[edit] ITF Junior Events finals[edit] Singles: 9 (8-1)
[edit] Doubles: 8 (4-4)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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