Pattaya and Paris Day 2: History made in Thailand

Pattaya round 1:

Anastasija Sevastova def. Misaki Doi 6-4 6-2
Maria Kirilenko def. Akgul Ammanmuradova 6-3 7-5
Sorana Cirstea def. Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-1 6-3
Anastasia Rodionova def. Vania King 6-4 6-4
Sabine Lisicki def. Tatjana Malek 6-2 6-3
Heather Watson def. Timea Babos 6-1 3-0 ret.
Luksika Kumkhum def. Casey Dellacqua 6-2 6-2
Kimiko Date-Krumm def. Chanelle Scheepers 7-5 6-1
Nina Bratchikova def. Shahar Peer 6-3 6-3
Ayumi Morita leads Ana Ivanovic 6-3 5-7 2-1
Elena Vesnina leads Eleni Daniilidou 6-2 1-0

Paris round 1:

Klara Zakopalova def. Anabel Medina Garrigues 2-6 7-5 6-0
Christina McHale def. Pauline Parmentier 6-4 6-1
Carla Suarez Navarro def. Monica Niculescu 6-3 7-6(3)
Stephanie Voegele def. Tsvetana Pironkova 6-4 6-2
Alize Cornet def. Sofia Arvidsson 6-3 4-6 6-0

Upset of the day:

Luksika Kumkhum def. Casey Dellacqua 6-2 6-2

Well, it's not really an upset since I called it. But history was made today as Luksika Kumkhum officially replaces Tamarine Tanasugarn as the top Thai player. Tamarine held that title for almost 20 years and Luksika did it in front of her home crowd as well. The big hitting Thai girl looks set to rise up the rankings further as she plays fearless and powerful tennis. Casey hasn't been in form lately and maybe she can consider carrying on as a doubles specialist.

Kimiko Date-Krumm def. Chanelle Scheepers 7-5 6-1

Chanelle Scheepers is not exactly young at the age of 29, but she was upended by someone who is 42. Is that a shame? Definitely not. Kimiko Date-Krumm is having a spectacular 2013 season as she is in the top 10 for the race. She continues her good form by ousting the South African in straight sets. Although she did choke a bit up 5-3 and 5-4 in the first set, she recovered well and claimed this easy victory. Kimiko might face Ana Ivanovic or Ayumi Morita in the second round. And judging by how Ana and Ayumi is playing now, she might have a good chance of going far.

Stefanie Voegele def. Tsvetana Pironkova 6-4 6-2

Pironkova must be playing really bad tennis to lose to Voegele. No offence to Stefanie, but she doesn't have the mental strength to compete in the main tour. Pironkova maybe should just skip all the other surfaces and play only on grass, since that is the only surface she can win on. Just when I thought Tsvetana is on her way up after beating Klara Zakopalova in Hobart, she throws in this. However, I am sure she will still get a wildcard for the second tier YEC for her to whore up some points.