The full player acceptance list for the Thailand Open 2012 has been revealed and Thai tennis fans are in for a feast of top tennis action at Impact Arena from 22 – 30 September.

The bumper field includes world #9 Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia, as well as French stars Richard Gasquet, Gilles Simon and Gael Monfils, plus crowd favourite Fernando Verdasco of Spain.

The tournament will also boast the three most exciting young players in the game with Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov joining fellow 21-year-old and world #16 Milos Raonic and 19-year-old Bernard Tomic in Bangkok. Dimitrov is currently ranked #56 and impressed Thai fans in his Bangkok debut last year where his beautiful shot-making got him to the quarter-finals before going down to eventual champion Andy Murray. Raonic and Tomic will be making their Thailand Open debuts. Both are looking forward to competing in the tournament. “This will be my first time playing in Bangkok so it’s very exciting for me” said Raonic. “I’m really looking forward to it,” Tomic added.

Adding further depth to the field are former Thailand Open runners up Finn Jarkko Nieminen, currently ranked #42 and 2008 finalist Serbia’s Viktor Troicki currently ranked #30. Joining them will be 2010 champ Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain and world #33 Jeremy Chardy who will be adding even more French flavour to the tournament.

“We have an amazingly deep field this year,” said tournament Executive Committee Chairman Suwat Liptapanlop. “There are many players capable of winning the title so it’s going to be very exciting and competitive tennis from the very first day.”

Other players confirming their participation in the tournament are Ivo Karlovic of Croatia, Japanese stars Go Soeda and Tatsuma Ito, Robin Haase of the Netherlands, Slovenia’s Blaz Kavcic, Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan, and Australia’s Marinko Matosevic, currently ranked #62. A total of 13 countries are represented at the tournament.

The Thailand Open singles action will feature 28 players including three wildcards and four players who successfully come through the qualifying rounds. The Draw Ceremony for the tournament will be held at Impact Arena at 2pm on Saturday 22 September. The Draw Ceremony will be held on Level 3 at Impact Arena, and is open to spectators to watch.

This year marks the 10^th anniversary of the Thailand Open and the tournament is offering a unique opportunity to experience the event like never before. The “10 Fans 10 Experiences” promotion will offer 10 lucky winners the chance to enjoy one of 10 special experiences including: tossing the coin -

for the final and watching the match from courtside, hitting with a star player, being an official tournament photographer, and many more. Details and registration information can be found on the tournament’s facebook page.

“ATP Finals Experience #2” Thailand Open ticket buyers also have the chance to register to win a return trip for two to attend the ATP’s World Tour Finals in London in November. Ticket buyers can register at the tournament or at www.facebook.com/PTTThailandOpen. 

Tickets for the Thailand Open start at just Bt300 and are available from all Thaiticketmajor outlets, by calling
02 262 3838, or by logging on to www.thaiticketmajor.com.

ATP Thailand Open Details

Format : Best of 3 tie-break sets

Venue : Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani

Date : 22 – 30 September

Qualifying rounds : 22 – 23 September

Main draw : 24 – 30 September

Prize money : US$ 608,500

Prize money and points breakdown:

Thailand Open 10^th Anniversary Campaign

 

“ATP Finals Experience #2”

The ultimate opportunity for real tennis fans!

Experience the ultimate tennis showdown at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals 2012 in London!

Thailand Open 2012 invites you to experience the ultimate tennis showdown at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals 2012, the ATP’s year-end championship playoff in London.  Win the chance to watch the world’s top 8 players in action in London, Great Britain.  One lucky winner will receive round-trip economy class air tickets for two persons, two tickets to the ATP World Tour Finals for two sessions, four-nights’ accommodation (five-day trip including departure and return dates) valued at 100,000 baht.
 

“10 Fans 10 Experiences”

Mark the 10^th anniversary of the Thailand Open with the most unique opportunity to experience the event like never before!! One of the lucky 10 could be you!!

Be one of 10 very special fans to join one of 10 amazing experiences during the Thailand Open 2012. Choose your favourite experience from the 10 listed below and tell us why you would like to be the lucky fan who gets to experience it. You could be a winner whose once-in-a-lifetime Thailand Open experience comes true!

1.1  Hit with a player: Enjoy a private hitting session with one of the Event’s star players on the official practice courts.

1.2  Toss the coin for the final: An amazing opportunity to be the special person who tosses the coin on court for the tournament final. Plus you get an exclusive photo with the two finalists on centre court and tickets to the match!

1.3  Meet & Greet with the champion: Be one of the first people to congratulate our new champion in person on centre court!

1.4  Be a ball person: Ever wonder what it feels like to be part of the on-court ballkids team? Here’s your chance to find out and be part of the ballkids team for a day.

1.5  Be an exclusive reporter: Have a scoop with a famous player who you can interview by yourself!

1.6  Be an official flag bearer escorting players onto centre court with their national flag.

1.7  Welcome your favourite player: Be the official tournament welcome for your favourite player when he arrives at the airport. Greet him and present him with a souvenir on behalf of all of Thailand.

1.8  Be an official tournament photographer for a day: Get your camera ready and join the professional photographers taking the best pictures with access to courtside and other restricted areas.

1.9  Take a backstage tour: experience life behind the scenes for the tournament’s players. Take an exclusive tour that includes the players’ restaurant, computer room, locker rooms and practice courts as well as the interview room and media centre.

1.10  Win a VIP Courtside Box for all your friends for the Quarter Finals. You could win the exclusive use of a 15-seat courtside box, enjoying the closest view of all the action, complete with complimentary f&b service.

Every experience will include two Thailand Open tickets for the relevant session that you’ll join the experience as well.

Select your favourite experience and tell us why you’d like to be the lucky winner as well as telling us your special skills and abilities that match with the experience (e.g. tennis skills, English skills, photography skills, etc.). Click here. The campaign is open until 9 September 2012. More information, e-mail to info@thailandopen.org or Facebook.com/ATPThailandOpen