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Thai tennis star set to thrill home fans in exhibition

Reprising his triumphant homecoming of last year, tennis sensation Paradorn Srichaphan this week is taking on three other top world players in an exhibition tour visiting four cities around Thailand.

Paradorn, who finished this year with a world ranking of No. 11, will face Mark "Scud" Philippoussis of Australia, reigning Thailand Open champion Taylor Dent of the US, and former world No. 1 Marcelo Rios of Chile in the 2003 Paradorn Super Tour.

The top-rated Thai is also scheduled to play Taiwanese tennis star Chuang Chia-jung (莊佳容) in a mixed-doubles matchup at the weekend.

The games will give Paradorn a chance to redeem himself with his countrymen, who last saw him play -- and lose -- to Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic in the quarterfinals of the ATP Thailand Open in September.

Paradorn also received unwelcome attention at the time for carrying on a high-profile romance -- since ended -- with Thai singer Tata Young.

The Thai sensation made history in April when he reached No. 10 on the ATP rankings, becoming the first Asian in the Top 10.

"I feel like I'm not just playing for or representing Thailand," he said earlier this year. "Every time I go on the court, I'm representing all Asian countries and Asian tennis."

Paradorn's first exhibition tour last year attracted thousands of fans, who saw him play -- and win -- four matches against Jan-Michael Gambill of the US and Andrew Ilie of Australia.

Paradorn launches this week's tour against Dent, world-ranked No. 32, yesterday at Suranaree University of Technology in Nakhon Ratchasima, 210km northeast of Bangkok.

The tour will next move to Paradorn's hometown, the northeastern city of Khon Kaen, where the 9th-ranked Philippoussis will be pitted against Rios today and Paradorn against Dent again tomorrow at a public club.

The northern city of Chiang Mai will be the next stop, with Philippoussis taking on Dent on Thursday and Paradorn battling Rios on Friday.

The program will end at the Phuket Laguna Resort in the southern island of Phuket over the weekend, where Paradorn will play mixed doubles with alongside Thailand's top female player, World No. 34 Tamarine Tanasugarn, against Dent and Chuang, World No. 314, on Saturday.

The tour climaxes on Sunday with a match between Paradorn and Philippoussis followed by one between Rios and Dent.
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