STORM Sanders is the sole Australian left in the Thailand Open draw after being the only player from the Land Down Under to survive the Round of 32 on Day 3 of the tournament. She defeated Norwegian, Ulrikke Eikeri, as compatriots, Anastasia Rodionova and Ellen Perez both fell in straight sets. Rodionova was outclassed in two tight sets against eighth seed Japanese player, Nao Hibino, while Perez lost to You Xiaodi 7-6 6-2. Sanders on the other hand got up with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Eikeri to set up a possible Round of 16 encounter with number one seed and world number five, Elina Svitolina.

The biggest celebration of the day for the home fans was the win of 286th ranked Peangtarn Plipuech, with the Thai defeating Frenchwoman, Chloe Pacquet 7-6 3-6 6-4 in three tight sets. The match took almost three hours to complete, but the home fans got their money’s worth with their home nation heroine getting up despite not serving an ace all match. She broke seven times – one less than her opponent, but won 58.5 per cent of her second serve return points, while having a more effective serving percentage of 57. Her breaks came at crucial times, and in the end it got her the win, moving through to the Round of 16 to take on Hibino.

In the two other results, fourth seed Zheng Saisai got up after a first set struggle to see off Serbian Nataljia Kostic, 7-6 6-0, while Swiss 283rd ranked player, Leonie Kung upset the home fans with a straight sets belting of 731st ranked Thai wildcard, Patcharin Cheapchandej, 6-0 6-3.

Round of 32 Results:

[4] S. Zheng (CHN) defeated N. Kostic (SRB) 7-6 6-0
[8] N. Hibino (JPN) defeated A. Rodionova (AUS) 7-6 7-5
P. Plipuech (THA) defeated C. Pacquet (FRA) 7-6 4-6 6-4
S. Sanders (AUS) defeated U. Eikeri (NOR) 6-3 6-4
X. You (CHN) defeated E. Perez (AUS) 7-6 6-2
L. Kung (SUI) defeated P. Cheapchandej (THA) 6-0 6-3