17/01/2007

Molik and Montinee get main draw wild cards in Pattaya Women's Open

The US$170,000 Pattaya Women's Open, professional women's tennis tournament is Asia 's longest running professional tennis event on the Sony Ericsson WTA tour. This year's tournament is supported by Pattaya City, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Chonburi Provincial Administration and will be held at the Dusit Resort, Pattaya from 3-11 February 2007.

The Pattaya Women's Open has attracted a strong line-up of tennis stars, including Thailand's No 1 Tamarine Tanasugarn, who last year reached the final of the PTT Bangkok Open, Vania King, the American teen sensation who beat Tamarine in the final, last year's runner-up in Pattaya, Jelena Kostanic, India's Sania Mirza and Japan's Akiko Nakamura.

Top ranked in the tournament is France 's Marion Bartoli, triple WTA tour title-holder in 2006, who finished No 18 in the year-end rankings. Other well-known players joining the Pattaya Women's Open are Russian Maria Kirilenko, Argentina 's Gisella Dulko and Italy 's Mara Santangelo.

The Organising Committee has given wild cards in the main draw to 3 players, Australia 's Alicia Molik, former world No 8 who is continuing her comeback on the tour, and Thai rising star Montinee Tangpong.

The singles final will be televised "live" on ITV on Sunday 11 February from 15.00 - 17.00. There will also be "live" international television coverage to Russia, Ukraine, the Middle East and Eastern Europe on both Saturday 10 February and Sunday 11 February.

Tickets for the tournament are on sale at the venue from Friday 3 February at the following prices:

• Saturday 3 February-Sunday 4 February: (qualifying rounds) - Free Admission
• Monday 5 February-Thursday 8 February: (1 st and 2 nd rounds of main draw) - 300 baht
• Friday 9 February-Sunday 11 February: (Quarter-finals, semi-finals and final) - 300, 500 and 1000 baht.

The Pattaya Women's Open is supported by Pattaya City, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Chonburi Provincial Administration, Sony Ericsson, Bangkok Express, Wilson , Yonex, and Head.

For information and tickets contact Pentangle Promotions Co., Ltd: Tel 02-3823491- 3, Fax: 02-3823490 or ppc@pentanglepromotions.com