The schedule comprises five TATP events with total prize-money of Bt3 million, plus three junior events and five senior events with overall prize-money of Bt448,000.

Former world No 9 and Thai No 1 Paradorn Srichaphan yesterday praised the TATP, the only local pro circuit, and said it had helped develop his game before he made the step up to the international arena.

“We need to get past a strong local tour first,” said the five-time ATP winner.

“The TATP Tour has always been the primary stage for young players to gain experience. It helped me prepare for the upper level of competition on the ITF and ATP.”

The TATP series, each with a total prize money of Bt500,000, starts with next week’s Singha Bangkok Open at the Impact Tennis Academy, followed by the Singha Pattaya Open at Greta Resort and Sport Club in Pattaya between May 4-12, the Singha TATP Championship (also in Pattaya) from May 25 to June 2 and the Singha Classic at the Academy from June 22 to 30.

The season-ending Singha Thailand Masters, with Bt1 million prize money, will conclude at the Academy in mid-September. Live streams of all matches can be watched on the TATP Tour Facebook page.

In terms of the junior circuit or the Singha Grand Slam Experience, there will be three stops: the first for under-12s from March 17-19 at the Academy, the second for under-16s in Pattaya, mid-May and the third, for under-14s, in nearly June, also in Pattaya.

Five players from each circuit, 15 in total, will earn a free trip to Melbourne to attend the Australian Open next January.

The club is staging the third and final qualifying tournament for the Chinese tour and hosting 120 high-level international players representing 17 nationalities from across the globe, including seven from Thailand.

The four-day qualifying event, which runs until Friday, is an intense competition as it helps decide membership for the 2019 PGA Tour China, which was set up as part the sport’s global expansion and is in its sixth year.

The winner of the Phuket event will be eligible to play the full tour while those who finish from second to 12th will be guaranteed starts in the first six events and those down to 35th stand a chance of getting starts, too.

The Tour is thrilled to have the chance to be bringing a world-class PGA Tour-affiliated event to Phuket and also to see new talent emerging – players often go on from the to do great things in their careers.

“We have watched numerous players show up at the qualifying tournaments, and a year or two later they are playing on the Web.com Tour and the PGA Tour,” said the PGA Tour China’s Executive Director, Greg Carlson.

“It’s at the qualifiers where many of them are beginning their professional journeys, and we recognise the talent that has come through our Tour during its first four years.”

“This is also a new chapter in the history of the Tour as we stage an event away from Greater China for the first time,” Carlson continued. “Playing in Thailand will provide players with a new cultural experience, while playing a tournament on a world-class golf course in one of the great resort cities in Southeast Asia.”

Architect Paul Jansen revamped and upgraded Laguna Golf Phuket in 2014, a course built among lagoons, native water grasses and mature woodland areas. The last International Federation of PGA Tours event held at Laguna Golf Phuket was the Asian Development Tour’s 2018 Singha Laguna Phuket Open.

“Laguna Phuket is excited to welcome the PGA Tour Series – China and host their first international event outside of China. It is our honor to partner with such a prestigious brand as the PGA Tour. We are excited to showcase our integrated resort facilities to all the tour players and officials. We are sure they will enjoy a wonderful experience between the golf course at Laguna Golf Phuket and the events’ official hotel Angsana Laguna Phuket”, said Laguna Golf Group Assistant Vice President Paul Wilson.

In the past, players from Thailand have fared well on the Tour. Gunn Charoenkul has won twice, once in 2014 and once in 2016 – and last week, Somprat Rattanasuwan earned his full card by tying for third at the Series’ second Global Qualifying Tournament. This week, the seven Thai players in the field includes one local player, Thanathip Puaktes.

This season, Cheng Jin won the Mainland China Qualifying Tournament. Singapore’s Abdul Hadi won the First Global Qualifying Tournament, while South Korea’s Taeho Kim won the Second Global Qualifying Tournament last week.

In 2018, PGA TOUR Series-China Global Qualifying Tournament winners were Americans Jeffrey Kang and Joseph Winslow, with Cheng Jin capturing the Mainland China qualifier. Kang and Winslow both went on to win a Series event that year. Other Global Qualifying Tournament winners in the Series’ history are American Charlie Saxon and South Korea’s Sungpil Park (2016), Canada’s Justin Shin and American Kyle Souza (2015) and Australians David Lutterus and Alex Hawley (2014).

In seven days, Madrid have been knocked out of the Copa del Rey, La Liga’s title race and now the last 16 of the Champions League, the competition they had come to believe was their own.

They had won it three times in a row, four times in the last five years, while the last time Madrid failed to reach the quarter-finals was 2010, in Cristiano Ronaldo’s first year at the club.

Ronaldo rescued them last season in the quarter-finals and then Gareth Bale won them the trophy, but the former is gone and the latter started on the bench here, dropped again by Solari.

Solari oversaw an improvement after Julen Lopetegui was sacked in November but his team, 12 points behind Barcelona in La Liga, have watched their season unravel in a week.

Madrid president Florentino Perez is now faced with deciding whether it is worth keeping his coach until the end of the season, let alone beyond the summer.

“I did not come to the club in such a difficult moment to give up,” Solari said afterwards.

He could have few complaints. Ajax were hard-done-by in the 2-1 first-leg defeat and dominant at the Santiago Bernabeu, their scintillating victory confirming a 5-3 win on aggregate and a place in the quarter-finals. On this evidence, they can go further.

Hakim Ziyech and David Neres put them two up at half-time and the excellent Dusan Tadic made it three before Marco Asensio gave Madrid hope. It lasted two minutes, as Lasse Schone sent a bending free-kick into the top corner before Nacho was sent off in injury-time.

“The week has been hard for us,” said Nacho. “We have practically said goodbye to the league, the cup and today was like a final in the Champions League.”

“I’ve never felt as sick as this, I don’t know how to explain it,” said Dani Carvajal.

Bale was on after 29 minutes for the injured Lucas Vazquez but hit the post and then missed two good chances. Sergio Ramos was in the stands, having earned a deliberate booking to clear a ban, believing this tie was already won.

– Masterful Tadic –

Raphael Varane might have finished it within five minutes but headed onto the crossbar from six yards and instead Ajax took control.

Toni Kroos, poor all night, was caught in possession from a throw-in and Tadic skipped free down the right. He pulled back for Ziyech, who guided it with his left foot into the far corner.

Ajax were bouncing as Neres baffled Carvajal with a pirouette in the corner and then Tadic did the same, spinning around Casemiro in midfield before teeing up the second. Neres rounded Thibaut Courtois and chipped the ball home.

Vazquez and Vinicius Junior both left the field injured and in tears, the latter after an electric run forward. Bale came on, with Asensio, and raced down the left but his finish from the angle clipped the post.

The fans whistled at half-time and Madrid were no better after, creating chances but lacking composure and control. Karim Benzema shimmied past Ziyech but curled wide, only for Ajax to add a sumptuous, albeit controversial, third.

They worked it from right to left and then inside again, where Donny van de Beek shifted a last pass to Tadic, who whipped a sizzling shot into the top corner.

The cheers stopped as referee Felix Brych waited for VAR, with the ball seemingly out for a throw before Noussair Mazraoui slid to keep it in. The camera angle was unclear and the goal stood.

Madrid needed three in 24 minutes and then two in 20, as Asensio swept in Sergio Reguilon’s cross to give them hope. Erik ten Hag was seconds from bringing Schone off but instead, his midfielder bent a free-kick into Courtois’ top corner.

Frenkie de Jong put his first foot wrong in the 84th minute, gifting Luka Modric the ball in the area but Benzema slipped and the chance went begging. Nacho was sent off for a clash with Van de Beek and Madrid were in tatters.

Also in attendance were ONE Athletes and hometown heroes Phoe “Bushido” Thaw, “The Dragon Leg” Tial Thang and Bozhena “Toto” Antoniyar.

All athletes are set to compete at ONE: REIGN OF VALOR, which takes place this Friday, 8 March at the iconic Thuwunna Indoor Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar. ONE Welterweight World Champion Zebaztian Kadestam of Sweden will defend his World Title against Georgiy Kichigin of Kazakhstan in the main event.

In the co-main event, Phoe Thaw of Myanmar returns to action to face “The Iceman” Yohan Mulia Legowo of Indonesia. Tial Thang of Myanmar squares off with Cambodian Kun Khmer practitioner Rin Saroth, while Bozhena Antoniyar, also from Myanmar, is slated to face Malaysia’s Audreylaura “Ice Comet” Boniface.

Zebaztian Kadestam, ONE Welterweight World Champion, stated: “I’m beyond honored and excited to be defending my ONE Welterweight World Championship in Yangon on March 8th. This will be my first World Title defense in ONE, and as the saying goes, you aren’t a champion until you have defended your belt. I am fully focused on proving that I am a true champion and that I deserve to have this prestigious belt around my waist. I know that Georgiy [Kichigin] will be a very tough challenger. He has great momentum now and has beaten some very talented opponents, but I have prepared hard. I have trained well for this title defense. In my mind, this is the biggest fight of my career. I will do everything that I can to remain the ONE Welterweight World Champion.”

Georgiy Kichigin, ONE World Title challenger, stated: “This will be the most important fight of my career. I have defeated many big names in the past, but if I can defeat Zebaztian Kadestam and become the new ONE Welterweight World Champion, then that will definitely be the biggest win ever. I am very excited for this fight because this will be the biggest stage that I have been on. If I can become a world champion in just my first time with ONE Championship, then that will put me in the history books as well. I have trained hard for this opportunity, and I will not let it go to waste. My opponent is a great champion and a big test for me, but I am confident that I can pass this test with flying colors.”

Phoe Thaw, ONE Athlete, stated: “It is always an amazing experience to be able to fight at home in Yangon, and I look forward to doing it again on March 8th. I am coming off the first loss of my career, and you can bet that I am more motivated and more determined than ever to get a win and get back on track. I believe that if I win my next fight, I am one of the top contenders in the featherweight division. I know that I am only a few wins away from earning a World Title shot.”

Tial Thang, ONE Athlete, stated: “I absolutely cannot wait to make that walk to the cage in Yangon. This is a dream come true for me, to be able to make my ONE debut in front of my home country. I am seriously pumped for this. It means a lot to me as a mixed martial artist to be able to showcase my skills and put my hard work on display in front of the great fans of Myanmar. I hope that they enjoy what I show them come March 8th. I promise it’s going to be a treat.”

Bozhena Antoniyar, ONE Athlete, stated: “I am heading into this fight with Audreylaura Boniface with a lot of hunger and a lot of motivation, especially after losing my last fight. Now, I’m coming to show, not just my home country of Myanmar, but also the world that I belong in ONE Championship, and that I can become a top name in my division. I fully intend to establish myself as a contender in 2019, and it will all begin with my upcoming bout on March 8th.”

The 27-year-old Poh shot his lowest four-round score ever at the 2018 edition of the tournament to win his first Asian Development Tour (ADT) title.

The Singaporean carded a 21-under-par 267 total for a two-shot victory at the Palm Resort Golf and Country Club, which will also be the host venue for this year’s PGM ADT Johor Championship.

“I’m very excited to be back as the defending champion! I have many great memories from last year. The task this year is to try to recreate those shots I played, and also to create more great shots!” said a confident Poh ahead of the RM225,000 (approximately US$58,000) event, co-sanctioned by the ADT and the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM)

He added: “I’ve gone to play a round there last month. The course hasn’t changed much from last year; only the greens are a little firmer due to the dry season recently. Hitting to the right spots is the key to playing well for this course as some pins can be quite tricky.”

Poh went on to finish the season in 13th place on the 2018 ADT Order of Merit, coming agonisingly close to snatching on one of the seven Asian Tour cards on offer. The Singaporean hopes to do better this season.

“I have had a great start to 2019 by playing well at the SMBC Singapore Open (the Asian Tour season opener), and I am aiming to ride that momentum into Johor. It was a great breakthrough last year at this event. I am looking forward to even more success this year!”

Poh’s title ambitions will be put to test by the likes of ADT Order of Merit champions Miguel Carballo of Argentina (2018) and Pannakorn Uthaipas of Thailand (2017), as well as ADT winners Shinichi Mizuno of Japan and Sam Gillis of the United States.

The leading seven players on the final ADT Order of Merit will earn playing rights on the premier Asian Tour for the 2020 season.

All ADT events offer Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. The winner will receive a minimum of six OWGR points while the top six players and ties will also earn points based on a sliding scale.

On Monday, Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino had demanded they “finish the job” after beating the Bundesliga leaders 3-0 in the first leg at Wembley.

His Spurs side delivered, soaking up everything Dortmund threw at them in a one-sided first half before Kane’s goal just after the break killed off the hosts’ spirited challenge.

“It’s always difficult in these type of games, you don’t know whether to defend or attack,” said Kane, who singled out Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris for praise after a string of key saves.

“They had a few moments. In that first half we needed everyone, defenders blocking it, Hugo saving it, that’s what Champions League is about – you need everybody.”

This is the first time Tottenham are in the last eight of the Champions League since 2010/11 when they bowed out 5-0 on aggregate to Real Madrid.

Needing to score at least three goals, Dortmund packed their line-up with forwards as Mario Goetze, Marco Reus and Paco Alcacer – who have scored 30 goals between them – all started together for the first time this season.

Dortmund flew out of the traps, pounding the Spurs defence with 10 attempts in the first half alone, restricting the Londoners to a single Son Heung-min effort, and enjoying 70 percent possession.

“We have showed that we have the quality, we can build on the first-half performance, but we need to score goals,” said Dortmund captain Reus.

The Germans harassed Spurs at every opportunity and had two clear chances in the opening 25 minutes as Alcacer fired just over, while Lloris snaffled a stinging Reus shot at the second attempt.

Tottenham’s first real chance came with half an hour gone when Son got in behind his marker Marius Wolf and fired wide with the goal at his mercy.

Lloris then pulled off two saves at point-blank range before palming Goetze’s shot over the bar shortly before the break.

– Kane lands fatal blow –

Having defended doggedly, Spurs took the lead when Kane scored with his first chance and only his team’s second of the game.

His run split the hosts’ centre-backs, as he latched onto Moussa Sissoko’s pass and curled his shot past Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki.

The video assistant referee confirmed Kane was on-side and his goal on 49 minutes subdued the crowd at Signal Iduna Park who had hoped for a miracle.

With the tempo having dropped, Spurs’ Pochettino brought on Eric Dier, back from injury, to beef up the midfield in place of Harry Winks for the final 35 minutes.

Spurs seemed content to absorb Dortmund’s attacks while countering on the few opportunities they had.

In a bid to boost flagging confidence, Dortmund head coach Lucien Favre brought on Chelsea-bound Christian Pulisic and Danish forward Jacob Bruun Larsen for the final half an hour.

With Reus tiring, unsurprisingly after four weeks out with a thigh injury, Thomas Delaney came on for the Dortmund skipper with 17 minutes left.

Sissoko attempted to win a late penalty and Kane put the ball into Dortmund’s net but was flagged for offside as the game petered out and home fans started slipping away.

While Spurs go marching into the last eight, Dortmund can focus on trying to prevent Bayern Munich winning a seventh straight Bundesliga title with just goal difference currently separating the sides.

The world No 8 last week reached the final of the German Open, her second final of 2019, before losing a high-quality epic battle against two-time champion Akane Yamaguchi.

The Yasothon player has been at the top of her game, beating former world champion Nozomi Okuhara of Japan en route to last week’s final, having also won the Malaysian Masters in January.

The 24-year-old also has fond memories of Birmingham, having twice reached the final there, in 2013 and 2017.

She will open her account against world No 25 Chen Xiaoxin of China, having beaten her in Germany, albeit due to her opponent’s retirement through injury when she was down one game and 1-1 in the second.

Four Thai women are in the singles draw at the world-class, Super 100 tournament.

Thai No 2 and world No 18 Nitchaon Jindapol is up against world No 12 Beiwen Zhang of the US – their head-to-head stands at 3-3.

Pornpawee Chochuwong and Busanan Ongbamrungphan have an all-Thai affair, thus guaranteeing the Kingdom one player in the last 16. World No 25 Busanan came out on top 21-10 21-4 when they last met, in the Princess Masters in Bangkok, in January.

Two-time defending champion and world No 1 Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan kicks off her title defence against Michelle Li of Canada, while No 2 Nozomi Okuhara will meet 19-year-old Indonesian Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, the former world junior champion.

On the men’s side, Thai No 1 and world No 16 Khosit Phetpradab has a daunting task against top seed and world champion Kento Momota of Japan – he has never beaten the world No 1 in their four meetings to date.

Thai No 2 and world No 18 Kantapon Wangcharoen meets the 28th-ranked Taiwanese Wang Tzu Wei while No 34 Suppanyu Avihingsanon will play Daren Liew of Malaysia, the world No 27.

In mixed doubles, the world No 4 pairing, Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai, will compete against Yuki Kaneko and Misaki Matsutomo of Japan.

 It penetrated into the most iconic attractions in the city and the center of unique and the most outstanding cultural heritage of Asia.  Running through the most beautiful landmarks in “Hanoi” – the capital of over a thousand years old, participants experienced the most classic places of Vietnam and delicious authentic local foods with 8 latest menus, ending the 4th race most impressively.

Runners from 7 countries including Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, England, Belgium, and the United States participated in the event with a total of over 1,500   people.  The company, then, declares to move forward to organize the next race in Thailand in May 2019.

Mr. Kreingkrai  Kanjanapokin, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Index Creative Village Public Company Limited said:  “The KILORUN Hanoi the  4th race, this time has achieved the goal as planned with 1,500  international runners from 7 countries joined this event including Thai, Japanese, Malaysian, English, Belgian, United States, especially the host country. Hanoi is another city in Asia that KILORUN has chosen as it is one of the popular cities for tourists.  With distinctive culture, delicious local foods, comfortable travel at affordable cost, it creates a good impression for all of our participants every time, especially for foreign tourists who love to enjoy new activities – ASIAN LIFESTYLE JOURNEY.”

“For the next trip, it is planned to be held in Thailand where KM Run will take place around the Rattanakosin Island in Bangkok, so that all runners can join the retracing of the fascinating old city of Bangkok surrounded by historical landmarks such as Grand Palace and the City Pillar Shrine and other iconic temples of Thailand. KG route will be held in Yaowarat (China Town) where signature restaurants located to satisfy all food lovers. It’s an event that no one can miss.  More information is available www.kilorun.com.” Mr. Kreingkrai added

According to Ms. Witchunee Kuntapeng Head of Guest Service – AirAsia Thailand, the main sponsor of KILORUN:  “KILORUN HANOI 2019 is the 4th race in our journey after Bangkok, Thailand, Bali, Indonesia and Osaka, Japan.  The event has received good responses in every country. Every city we chose to organize the event has distinctive identity and is one of the popular tourist destinations where Thai AirAsia Airline and Thai AirAsiaX Airline can provide services to facilitate customers in traveling to join the KILORUN at special price.

“Hanoi is considered as the most popular for Thai tourist with continuous growth rate every year.  The joint-organizing of KILORUN HANOI 2019 this time will be full of joy and happiness to all travelers whom are seeking new destination to travel.  In addition, Thai AirAsia Airline also brings its employees and many celebrities from Thailand to join in this event in order to enhance the  colorful atmosphere in the competition such as Doo – Sanya Kunakorn / Pancake – Khemanit Jamikorn / DJ.Bookko – Thanatchapan Booranachewaailai / Tha – pipoauh-poomkaewkla / Than – Thanwa  Suriyajak / Jeab – Chompunuch Piyathamchai / Pukaii – Pongsiree Banruewong / Ket – Taraket Petchsuksai / Mai – Nontaphan Jaikunta / Lift – Supoj Janjaroen. There are also various booths, games, activities  and we are also the co-sponsor in supporting prizes to all winners of each category that include 2 seats round-trip air ticket of AirAsia for flight Bangkok – Hanoi and 1 Mascot doll “Bao Wiw”. Ms Witchunee said.

“KILORUN HANOI 2019”  was held on Sunday at Ly Thai To Park (near Hoan Kiem Lake), Hanoi, Vietnam.

For those who are interested to experience the unique ASIAN LIFESTYLE JOURNEY, RUN, EAT, FUN in one go, “KILORUN BANGKOK, THAILAND” which will be held around May 2019, surf www.kilorun.com. Additional information is available at FACEBOOK, LINE, and TWITTER: @Kilorun and IG: KILORUN2019. Co-sponsored by AirAsia, AirAsiaBig Loyalty, FBT, Pocari Sweat, CP Food Vietnam, Central Group Vietnam, MM Mega Market Vietnam, Do-me Do-me Jeju Fresh Spray,GET 102.5, THE NATION and MONO.

Patu faced a disciplinary hearing on Monday night where she admitted biting Western Australia lock Rebecca Clough — a Wallaroo teammate — while in a ruck in the Super W game in Brisbane on Saturday.

The judicial officer suspended her for six weeks, half of World Rugby regulations’ minimum 12-week ban for biting “due to mitigating factors and her previous good character and clean disciplinary record”.

The referee did not see the incident, but rugby authorities later cited Patu. There are five weeks left in the Super W season, which concludes with the grand final on April 6.

The Queensland hooker pleaded guilty to the offence and apologised to Clough, admitting her actions were “unacceptable and will not be repeated”.

“I’ve played club, state and international Rugby and previously haven’t committed an act such as this and I accept my punishment,” Patu said in a statement.

“I want to reassure the rugby public, administration and my fellow players, that when I return to play I will ensure that the game is played in the right spirit and do what I can to promote the women’s game in a positive manner.”

Biting and eye gouging are considered two of the worst offences in rugby.

Patu was only appointed as Wallaroos skipper seven months ago.