The 49-year-old Thongchai, who holds an unprecedented three Asian Tour Order of Merit crowns, will play tournament host to the US$500,000 event held in honour of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and staged at the Legacy Golf Club.

Defending Champion Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand, who sealed his second Asian Tour victory and first on home soil in July, will be among the 132 players vying for honours at the 11th edition of the Queen’s Cup which will be the Tour’s fourth stop in Thailand this season.

Other notable names in the field include Korea’s Sanghyun Park, who is currently ranked second on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, Indian duo Shiv Kapur and S.S.P Chawrasia as well as Chan Shih-Chang of Chinese Taipei, who are all multiple winners on the Asian Tour.

Thongchai, a 13-time Asian Tour winner, is regarded as one of Thailand’s greatest advocates for the development of golf in the region and has previously hosted three successful editions of the Thongchai Jaidee Foundation on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) since 2015.

Through the staging of this event on the region’s premier Tour, Thongchai hopes to draw attention to his foundation which was launched in 2009 with the aim of helping the under-privileged golfers in his hometown of Lopburi as well as pave the way for aspiring talents hoping to follow in his footsteps.

“I am very glad to be able to host my own tournament on the Asian Tour because I think it is very important to provide more playing opportunities and develop future talents.

“Thai golfers are doing very well on the world stage, like Kiradech Aphibarnrat who has won two editions of the Thongchai Jaidee Foundation on the ADT and now he is now ranked 36th in the world,” said Thongchai, who will focus solely on hosting a successful tournament and will not be competing in the event.

Compatriot Boonchu Ruangkit and India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, who have also hosted their own tournaments in Asia on the ADT and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) respectively, will also add to the star-studded field.

“My life is very good, I have won on the Asian Tour and the European Tour so I want to be able to give back to anyone that has helped me along the way. That is what my foundation is about, being able to support people around the world,” added Thongchai.

With the season reaching an exciting climax, players will also have everything to play for as they scramble to finish inside the top-60 on the Habitat for Humanity Standings and secure their cards for the 2019 season.

Last year in Indonesia, the 17-year-old beat Loeng Jun Hao of Malaysia 17-21 21-15 21-9  in the final to become the first Thai in the history to win the boy’s singles event.

The first Thai to win the World Junior title was Ratchanok Intanon in the girls’ event between 2009-2011.

Elsewhere Chinese third-seeded Goh Jin-Wei of Malaysia ousted Line Christophersen of Denmark 21-13 21-11.

The Serbian world number one looked unbeatable heading into Sunday’s final, winning all four of his matches in London in straight sets and not dropping serve once.

But his 21-year-old opponent showed no fear at a packed O2 Arena, trading heavy blows with his illustrious opponent from the back of the court and outlasting him in long rallies to win 6-4, 6-3.

A sanguine Djokovic was eager to put the defeat into context after a memorable second half of the season, during which he has clambered back to the top of the men’s game from the lowly ranking of 22 he found himself in as recently as June.

“Obviously no one likes to lose a tennis match,” he said. “You try your best. But at the same time, as I said on the court, you put things in a larger perspective, see things a bit differently.

“When you get out of this feeling of a little bit disappointment that you lost, I mean, all the positive things that I have to reflect on and also take from this season, especially the last six months.”

The 31-year-old started his year with a miserable early exit at the Australian Open, followed by elbow surgery and a string of disappointing results on his return to the court.

But since Wimbledon started he has suffered just three defeats — including Sunday’s against Zverev — winning a fourth title at the All England club and following up by securing a third US Open crown to leave him on 14 Grand Slams — three behind Rafael Nadal and six behind Federer.

“Overall it was a phenomenal season that I have to be definitely very proud of,” Djokovic said.

What is frightening for Djokovic’s rivals is that — Sunday’s surprise defeat aside — he appears to be getting better.

– Serving power –

Widely regarded as one of the greatest returners in the history of the game, it is his serving numbers that have been so striking during his run to the final in London.

Federer remains a threat and Nadal and Andy Murray are on the road back from injury while Zverev will start next season full of confidence despite his poor record at Grand Slams.

But Djokovic will be the man to beat when the first major of next year comes round in Melbourne in January — it is a venue where he has won six times.

“Having a Grand Slam so early in the season makes us train probably very hard and be kind of aware that we have to be at our best in the first week of the year,” he said.

“The first Slam is there in January. I’ve had most success in my life, in my career, in Australia out of all four Slams. Hopefully I can keep that going.”

The 21-year-old German has long been talked of as the leader of a pack of hungry young tyros aiming to unseat the multiple Grand Slam winners who have dominated the sport for well over a decade.

But so far he has flattered to deceive at the majors — with a run to the quarter-finals at this year’s French Open the only time he has made it past the fourth round of any of the four Slams.

It is easy to underplay his success — he already has 10 titles under his belt including the ATP Finals and three Masters crowns.

And it was the manner of his win against Djokovic at London’s O2 Arena — overpowering the relentless Serb 6-4, 6-3 — that caught the eye on Sunday, a day after he triumphed in straight sets against Roger Federer.

“This is the biggest title of my career so far,” he said. “This trophy means a lot, everything, to all the players. I mean, you only have so many chances of winning it. You play against the best players only. How I played today, how I won it, for me it’s just amazing.”

“It’s quite astonishing, winning this title, beating two such players back-to-back, Roger and Novak, in semi-finals and finals,” he added. “Means so much. I’m incredibly happy and incredibly proud of this moment right now.”

Zverev said a crop of top young players was on the march, desperate to end the stranglehold on the sport exerted by Djokovic, Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray in recent years.

– Next gen power –

The only three players who have beaten Djokovic since Wimbledon started — including Zverev — are all part of the new generation.

“Us young guys, we’re coming through,” said the German. “(Karen) Khachanov winning the Masters in Paris was a big thing. I was very happy for him, as well.

“I wasn’t happy that he beat me, but I was happy for the victory that he had because I’m quite good friends with him. The victory for (Stefanos) Tsitsipas in Toronto, I felt like Novak wasn’t playing his best there, but obviously all the credit to Tsitsipas.

“You have to beat someone like Novak because he’s not going to give you the match.”

Djokovic himself said Zverev’s win could have deeper significance for the men’s game.

“There’s a lot of similarities in terms of trajectory of professional tennis, in our careers,” said the world number one. “Hopefully he can surpass me. I mean, I sincerely wish him that.”

“He deserves everything he gets so far,” he added. There’s a lot of time ahead of him. Wish him to stay healthy and obviously win a lot of titles.”

Zverev, coached by Ivan Lendl, parried a question about how he felt about being viewed by many as leading the future of tennis.

“It’s great, but the future, we still got multiple and multiple years for all of us ahead,” he said. “A lot of things can happen. A lot of things can change. I’ll do everything I can to be on top. But the other guys are playing great tennis as well.”

And he said the likes of Djokovic and Federer remained the standard-setters.

“They’re still going to be the guys to beat at the big tournaments,” he said. “I will hope. I mean, I will do everything I can to get better, to compete with them always.

“I feel like I’m doing that. But still I have a lot of things to improve. I’m still very young. Hopefully next year I’ll be able to play better tennis than I did this year, even though it’s been a good year.”

Lexi Thompson

Thompson fired a two-under par 70 to finish 72 holes at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, on 18-under 270 and beat compatriot Nelly Korda by four strokes.

“It’s very gratifying,” Thompson said. “This is a special event for me growing up in Florida. It was so special to win in front of my family and friends.”

The last-chance victory extended Thompson’s streak to six consecutive LPGA seasons with at least one triumph.

“This year has been very up and down but to end it like this is very special,” Thompson said as she accepted the $500,000 winner’s prize.

Ariya closed out an epic season with an 18-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to complete a final-round 66 to share fifth on 276.

“Before I putted I was thinking I wanted to make it to have a good feeling before I go into the off season,” Ariya said. “And then I made it.”

Ariya, 22, began the week having already clinched LPGA Player of the Year and season prize money crowns after three victories this year.

In addition to the season prize, Ariya secured the Vare Trophy for the 2018 season’s lowest scoring average and became the first player to sweep every major LPGA season award.

“It has been unbelievable,” Ariya said. “I didn’t expect to win anything like this.

“Feel great today. I’m really proud of myself.”

Last year, Thompson missed a two-foot par putt on the 18th hole to lose the Tour Championship to Ariya even though she took the 2017 $1 million season points bonus.

This time, she didn’t get the bonus but took a satisfying triumph, the 10th of her LPGA career and first since September 2017 at Indianapolis.

Thompson, 23, won her only major title at the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship.

After opening with a birdie, Thompson took a bogey at the par-4 fourth and birdied the par-3 eighth.

Thompson carried a two-stroke lead to the par-4 13th, when she sank a five-foot birdie putt and Korda took a bogey to fall four adrift.

Thompson stumbled with a bogey at the par-3 16th but Korda bogeyed as well. Both also birdied the par-5 17th and parred the 18th to maintain the final victory margin.

With a chance to match England’s Charley Hull for the tournament record, Thompson missed a five-foot birdie putt at 18 but then sank a two-footer, just like the one she missed a year earlier, to seal victory.

South Korea’s Ryu So-yeon and American Brittany Lincicome shared third on 275 with Ariya, American Marina Alex, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and Spain’s Carlota Ciganda sharing fifth on 276.

Just two weeks after claiming her maiden title in the 125K series, a challenger level for women’s tennis, in Mumbai, the Thai ace sent down a barrage of ground strokes to overpower the 2013 Wimbledon finalist, now ranked No 262, and end her season in style.

“I was lucky as she made so many errors,” said the 25-year-old from Chanthaburi. “I didn’t expect to win two WTA 125K events in three weeks. It’s an incredible way to finish the season,” she added.

Luksika, currently at No 81, will crack the top 70 for the first time when the new rankings are updated on Monday.

Ratchanok, who came into the final with a 4-4 record against the Japanese, put up a great fight but succumbed to a consistently high-quality opponent who prevailed 21-19 24-22.

The Thai No 1 captured her only title so far this year at the Malaysia Masters in January. For Okuhara, this was her third crown in 2018 following wins at the Korea Open and Thailand Open. – The Nation

Eight days after crushing over Timor Leste 7-0, the defending champion surprisingly lost the opening goal in the 29^th minute created by Zulfiandi Zulfiandi before fighting back with four straight goals by Korakot Wiriya-udomsiri (38^th minute), Pansa Hemviboon (48^th), Adisak Kraisorn (65^th) and Pokkhao Anan (74^th).

Indonesia reduced the gap to 2-4 in the 89^th minute by the attempt of Fachruddin Wahyudi Adryanto, which was the last goal of the game.

Thailand now dominates Group B with two wins from two matches. They will play away game on Wednesday in Bacolod, Philippines in the game between two invincible teams of the group.

The sixth-seeded lost the opening game 10-21 but recovered to dominate the following games 21-11 21-17 in the match that last 69 minutes.

The former world No 1 is in her second final of the season after she upset world No 1 Tai Tzu Ying of Taiwan in the Malaysian Masters final in January. She will play 2017 world champion Nozomi Okuhara in the final after Tai retired with injury at 12-21 1-3 against the Japanese.

In the mixed doubles semi-final, Dechapol Puavaranokroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai are due to play second-seeded Wang Yiyu and Huang Dongping of China,