The Rise and Plateau of Noppawan Lertcheewakarn

WASHINGTON -- The Williams-less Washington Kastles had their 2010 home opener on a steamy Tuesday night in downtown DC, against a Philadelphia Freedom team which was also without its marquee players.  Though the night was without the likes of Andy Roddick or Venus Williams, there was still an intriguing prospect on the Philadelphia roster for those interested enough in the sport to follow up-and-coming juniors for the last several years.

Noppawan Lertcheewakarn (who has mercifully adopted the nickname "Nok"), was by far the youngest player on the court.  Only 18, Lertcheewakarn did not turn pro until earlier this year.

But despite just recently turning pro and holding a WTA singles ranking of only #294, much is expected of the the young Thai.

After making the final of the Wimbledon girl's draw that year, Lertcheewakarn was named the ITF Junior World Champion for 2008.  Her doubles success was even more impressive, winning titles in the girls' competitions at the US Open in 2008, and the French Open and Wimbledon at 2009.  Lertcheewakarn made it a double at Wimbledon 2009 by taking the singles title at well.

Her success (along with that of her compatriot Kittipong-Wachiramanowong who was a promising boys' junior at the same time) prompted American television commentator Mary Carillo to quip that she would pay both of their college tuition so long as they quit tennis and saved her from having to pronounce their names.

But her transition to the upper echelons of the women's game hasn't been as seamless as many expected.  She won a couple ITF challenger events before turning pro back in 2008, but she hasn't been able to even make the semifinals of any challenger this year.  She was given a wildcard into the Ladies' Singles draw at this year's Wimbledon on the basis of her girls' title the year before, but she lost in straight sets to unheralded qualifier Andrea Hlavackova in the first round.

But World Team Tennis seemed to be working out fairly well for Lertcheewakarn going into her Tuesday night match in Washington.  She had defeated former world #1 Martina Hingis the night before in New York, beating the rusty five-time grand slam champion in a tiebreak to give her Philadelphia side the win.

But early on Tuesday, Lertcheewakarn hardly seemed like a player capable of such a result during her singles match against Washington's Angela Haynes, who currently ranked #304 in the WTA.

Though she plays with two hands on both her forehand or backhand, Lertcheewakarn doesn't come close to generating the power that others with that style often do.  Guiding the ball more than hitting it, her shots lacked any significant power or spin and were chased down with ease by the hardly speedy Haynes.  Breaking Lertcheewakarn's serve twice, Haynes easily won the set 5-2.

But in her next event, women's doubles, Lertcheewakarn really seemed to come to life. 

Playing against Haynes and current WTA #9 Rennae Stubbs, Lertcheewakarn showed the potential one would expect of someone with her pedigree.  With some help from partner Courtney Nagle, Lertcheewakarn controlled the court.  Her two-handed style sent  the ball at incredible angles into the doubles alleys, and her quick reflexes at net won her several points as well.  In a pretty stunning upset given the presence of Stubbs on the other side of the net, Lertcheewakarn and Nagle won the doubles event with relative ease, by the score of 5-2.

I talked to Noppawan briefly after the match, and asked her a few questions about what this stage of her career has been like, and what her doubles prowess could mean for her future:

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TDF: Young, non-American players don't usually play World Team Tennis--what made you decide to do it?

Noppawan Lertcheewakarn: Actually, my agent is from Best, in America.  And it's my first year to play here, and I'm glad that they drafted me, and I'm trying my best, and I have so much fun here.

TDF: You turned pro this year--what's been the best part about that so far?

Noppawan Lertcheewakarn: Yeah, I think I've learned a lot of things that are different from juniors.  To transfer from juniors to pro, you have to play with older girls, and you have to be great at everything.  So I have to take some time to get there.

TDF: So then, what has been the toughest part of turning pro?

Noppawan Lertcheewakarn: I think the mental, and also the games, and also fitness.  If you want to hang with them, you have to play every week.  And if you play a final, you have to be there all the time.  So I think in juniors, it doesn't matter--you just play.  But as a pro, you have to be very fit.

TDF: You beat Martina Hingis last night...

Noppawan Lertcheewakarn: Yep!

TDF: ...what was that like, to be able to beat a legend of the sport like her?

Noppawan Lertcheewakarn: Actually, I started not that good, down three-love.  After that, I just think I played my best.  I just think "she's good, she won a grand slam."  But I've played a lot more tournaments than her [recently], so that is my advantage.

TDF: You played really well in the doubles tonight--you're two-handed on both sides, so that gets you some pretty great angles.  And you won three junior grand slams in doubles as well.  Do you see yourself, as your career goes on, being more of a doubles specialists, or having better results in doubles?

Noppawan Lertcheewakarn: Actually, I love to play doubles, but my singles ranking is better.  And if I play a $75,000 or $50,000 [level challenger], my ranking has to be like top 200 in doubles to get in.  So, it's pretty hard for me to play in doubles.  But I think in the future, I prefer to play both.

TDF: When you play World Team Tennis, it doesn't help your ranking...

Noppawan Lertcheewakarn: Yep.

TDF: Do you worry at all about your ranking slipping, since you're missing a bunch of challengers you could be playing?

Noppawan Lertcheewakarn: No, I think I learn from this.  I get so much experience playing with so many good players.  Yesterday I played with Martina Hingis, you know.  And I think it's very good experience for me.  And after Wimbledon, you know, not that many tournaments anyway.