Thailand’s top-ranked women’s tennis player Lanlana Tararudee has withdrawn from the country’s team for the 2026 Asian Games as she focuses on improving her world ranking and pursuing a place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Lanlana submitted her withdrawal request to the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand on Sept 14 after discussions with her coaching and management teams.
The 22-year-old, known by her nickname Rungkao, is currently ranked 61st in the world, a career-high position she reached on Sept 14. She has set a target of breaking into the world’s top 50 as part of her longer-term Olympic ambitions.
Lanlana said the decision was made after carefully reviewing her development plans and determining that she needed to prioritise tournaments that could help her earn ranking points and improve her position.
The Asian Games tennis competition is scheduled to take place from Sept 27 to Oct 3 in Japan. Lanlana’s withdrawal means she will not compete for Thailand in the women’s singles event or the other tennis competitions at the Games.
She apologised to the Thai tennis association, coaches and others involved in preparing the national team, while thanking them for their continued support. She also said she intended to return to represent Thailand at future international competitions.
Thai tennis association president Suchai Pornchaisak-udom said the organisation understood and accepted Lanlana’s decision, noting that her current ranking puts her within reach of her top-50 target.
Thailand will still have several strong players competing in Aichi-Nagoya, including Mananchaya Sawangkaew, who is ranked 88th in the world.
Lanlana has made significant progress on the professional circuit in recent years. She reached the top 150 in 2025 and has recorded two WTA 125 titles in 2026, according to the WTA.
Her withdrawal reflects the different demands facing athletes preparing for the Olympic qualification cycle, with ranking points and tournament schedules playing an important role in determining future opportunities.
For Lanlana, the immediate priority is to continue climbing the rankings and build towards the qualification pathway for Los Angeles 2028, while Thailand’s remaining tennis players prepare for the Asian Games.
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