Former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero said he hasn't seen any tanks or troops since arriving in Bangkok for the Thailand Open and is focusing on his tennis.
"Everything is calm and looks normal," said the Spanish player, ranked 18th and a three-time runner-up at the Thailand Open, which held a final qualifying round on Monday before the first round started yesterday.
"It was different from what I saw on TV. I didn't see any tanks or military," he said.
PHOTO: AFP
Tanks rolled into Bangkok on Tuesday last week when a military takeover ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The tanks remain in Bangkok but are far from the indoor Impact Arena where the tournament is being held north of the capital.
"I want to win," Ferrero said. "But it's going to be difficult because the field is tough here.
Among those vying for the trophy in Bangkok are World No. 3 Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia, American James Blake, Russia's Marat Safin and highly touted British teen Andy Murray, last year's runner-up.
However, Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus pulled out of the event yesterday due to a shoulder injury, putting pressure on his hopes of a place at the season-ending Masters Cup.
The world No. 8, who took his first career title in Beijing earlier this month, was the second-seed here in Bangkok and had been scheduled to take on Frenchman Julien Benneteau today.
But Baghdatis fell on his right shoulder on Friday during training at the Impact Arena.
"I've been working with the physio for five days. But I made a decision this morning after practice that I just can't play," he said.
"The physios say it could take anything from a few weeks to a few days for it to heal," he said.
Baghdatis has been in a dogfight to gain a place at the upcoming Masters Cup in Shanghai, which is limited to the eight best point-scorers this season.
Baghdatis stands just four points ahead of James Blake in eighth place, and the American is now poised to make up the gap this week. The third-seeded Blake opens against Croatian Marin Cilic.
"I was the first guy here and I'm the first to leave," said Baghdatis, who arrived in Bangkok a week ago -- in time to see the government overthrown in a peaceful coup.
"I'm disappointed not to play," he said.
Bagadatis joins Lleyton Hewitt and Guillermo Coria, who also withdrew with injuries before the start of the event.
Bagadatis will be replaced by Japan's Satoshi Iwabuchi, organizers said, who faces a first-round match against Frenchman Julien Benneteau.
Meanwhile, in first-round matches played yesterday, Russian Mikhail Ledovskikh defeated Swedish qualifier Michael Ryderstedt 6-1, 7-6 (9/7) while Briton Alex Bogdanovic outlasted Taiwan's Wang Yeu-tzuoo 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 6-4.
Bogdanovic, ranked 148 in the world, will face a fellow Briton after Andy Murray takes on Tim Henman today.
US player Robby Ginepri advanced to the second round with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Denmark's Kenneth Carlsen.
Ginepri, seeded seventh, squandered a 5-2 lead in the second set and lost two games before closing out the match.
Evening matches included Ferrero against Germany's Mischa Zverev and No. 3 Ivan Ljubicic versus Spain's Fernando Vicente.
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