Danai exit ends Asian interest in own grand slam

The tournament that calls itself the grand slam of Asia Pacific was left without an Asian representative in the men's singles following Danai Udomchoke's defeat by Novak Djokovic on Friday.

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Danai took the talented young Serb to four sets in their third-round match but was powerless to follow the other four Asian players in the 128-man draw out of the exit door.

Japan's Go Soeda, Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan and Korean Lee Hyung-taik fell in the first round, Yen-Hsun Lu of Taiwan lost in the second, leaving Danai as the region's lone representative in the last 32.

"I'm very happy to be the last Asian player left," Danai told Reuters. "I played well against Djokovic, he's a talented player who will get into the top 10 one day.

"He played well on the important points and that's what the good players do."

The 25-year-old Danai, who won the Asian Games gold medal last month and beat former French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero in the second round at Melbourne Park, said Paradorn had been a big influence on his career.

"Before him Thai people didn't believe that they could make it as a tennis professional," Danai said. "I wanted to be like him and he showed it was possible."

"After the Asian Games I was a bit of a hero when I returned to Thailand and I was a bit surprised. But Asian players need more sponsors to compete."

Danai said his victory over former world No. 2 Tommy Haas in a Davis Cup match on clay in Germany last year had been a highlight of his career, along with the Asian Games, but he has one major ambition in the game.

"I want to make the quarter-final in a grand slam one time if I can," he said.

China's Li Na and Japan's Aiko Nakamura are the only Asian players remaining in the women's third-round draw.