Weenkend Picks

TENNIS

WTA Tour

Korea Open Tennis Championship

Saturday, Sept. 19 to Sunday, Sept. 27, Olympic Park Tennis Court, Seoul

Korea’s only WTA Tour event will begin its nine-day tournament on Saturday. Entering its 12th edition, the women’s tournament has total purse of $500,000.

There was hope that U.S. Open runner-up Roberta Vinci, who defeated Serena Williams in the semi-finals, would compete, but organizers said the 32-year-old Italian decided not to come.

However, the organizers said world No. 13 Timea Bacsinszky will play. The 26-year-old Swiss has already collected two wins in the WTA Tour this season. Kimiko Date-Krumm, who is currently the oldest active player in the WTA Tour at age of 44, is also coming to Korea.

Korea’s two top female players, Jang Su-jeong (No. 208) and Han Na-lae (No. 232), will also test their skills.

BASKETBALL

Korean Basketball League

Goyang Orion Orions at Jeonju KCC Egis

4 p.m., Saturday, Jeonju Gymnasium, North Jeolla

The Jeonju KCC Egis will host the undefeated Goyang Orion Orions. The Egis are 1-2 with the latest defeat coming on Wednesday against the Busan KT Sonicboom 72-54.

The absence of 2.21-meter (7-foot-3) center Ha Seung-jin, who is out due to a hamstring injury, and point guard Kim Tae-sool, who is now with the men’s national team preparing for the upcoming FIBA Asia Championships, are critical for the Egis.

They will have to rely on foreign players Andre Emmett and Ricardo Powell.

The Orions have been tabbed as the top contenders for this season’s KBL title, and they are proving themselves early by going 3-0 so far. Although forward Lee Seung-hyun is out for national team duty, they have veteran scorers like Aaron Haynes and Moon Tae-jong.

BASEBALL

KBO League

Nexen Heroes at LG Twins

5 p.m., Saturday, Jamsil Baseball Stadium, Seoul

The Korea Baseball Organization clubs are currently playing make-up games that were previously cancelled due to rain.

Two Seoul-based teams meet again after taking two days off. On Wednesday, the LG Twins beat the Nexen Heroes 4-1.

The Heroes are currently trying to defend the No. 3 position from the Doosan Bears and will seek revenge in this game. This season, they lead the Twins 9-6.

Just as they did on Wednesday, the Twins will be hoping to contain the Heroes’ offense, which has the league best batting average of .302.

BY JOO KYUNG-DON [joo.kyungdon@joongang.co.kr]