Retirement far from Tanasugarn's mind

Thai tennis star Tamarine Tanasugarn has revealed her recent resurgence has stifled thoughts of retirement.

The 31-year-old from Bangkok, who was ranked as high as 15 back in 2002, had fallen from grace to be ranked as low as 164 and was forced to qualify for Wimbledon two years ago.

But it is a different picture now after a victory in Hertogenbosch and a run to the quarter-finals at the All England Club.

Despite her defeat at the hands of Venus Williams, Tanasugarn will break back into the top 40 when the new rankings are announced after the tournament.

"I feel great - back on track again," she said.

"You know, I was struggling the last two years. Actually, that year in Wimbledon I was thinking if I don't play well, don't feel good, to stop my career."

"But I'm still here, still enjoying tennis."

"So I'm keeping going forward and having fun with my career."

Although she is enjoying her tennis for now, Tanasugarn has an eye on life after retirement.

"At this age you're thinking a lot more about what you're going to do," she said. "I'm probably going to study a master's degree in Bangkok University for business."

"I just started thinking to study that."

"I'm not sure what I'm going to do. But if I try to help and improve tennis in Thailand, I would love to do that."

"Or I would like to do something apart from tennis because I've been in tennis for however many years and now want to do something different, like normal people."

Tanasugarn hopes the exploits of her and her countryman Paradorn Srichaphan, who reached the top 10 of the men's game in 2003, have raised the profile of tennis back in Thailand.

"In Thailand, since Paradorn did so well, they know how professional tennis is," she said.

"Maybe 15 years ago, they didn't know about tennis professionals. So probably our nation doesn't know a lot about tennis."

"We are good with kickboxing or, you know, our national sports."

"So I'm kind of happy. (Paradorn and I) have provided very good performances."

"I hope when Paradorn and I are doing well, the region starts to know we have these kind of sports."

"And I hope it proves (to people) they can do well as well."

"So I hope the foundations or the government improve and support tennis in the region."