Cambodia’s top player Bun Kenny made it into the main draw of the Singha Bangkok Open yesterday after bouncing back from a set down to beat Nattasit Koonsuwan of Thailand 2-6, 7-6 and 10-5 (super tie-break) in the final round of the qualifiers at the Impact Tennis Academy.

The 26-year-old Kenny, who will spearhead the Kingdom’s Group III Asia-Oceania Davis Cup campaign in Tehran in July, was completely outpaced by his Thai rival in the first set.

But Kenny took a different strategy in the second, not allowing the pressure to get to him. Instead he went for his shots and kept his nerve on the big points to force a tie-break, which he won with ease.

Going into the 10-point super tie-break, Kenny was clearly the better player on court as he steadily wore down his opponent.

Meanwhile, it was the end of the road for Long Samneang who tamely went down 1-6, 0-6 to Suppawit Apitanawit of Thailand, whose consistency on ground strokes the Cambodian simply couldn’t match.

In the doubles qualifiers, Phalkun Mam and Long Samneang got past the first round, beating Tos Puengrasamee and Warit Boonrak 6-0, 6-3.