Nadal Plans to Play Bangkok

Rafael Nadal will attempt for the third time to compete at the Thailand Open, taking place in Bangkok from September 27. The world No.1 has entered the event in two of the last three years, only to withdraw because of injury.

Other players so far confirmed for the ATP 250 Series event are Juan Martin Del Potro, who after initial doubts now hopes to return to action in time to defend his US Open title after not playing since the Australian Open in January, Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez and Ernests Gulbis of Latvia.

The tournament was won last year by Frenchman Gilles Simon.

The players will be staying at a hotel that was in the center of the political unrest and massive street protests that closed down not only the hotel but much of the surrounding area earlier this year. One of Asia’s largest shopping malls, just yards from the player hotel, was burned down during the riots which left 90 dead and nearly 2000 injured.