Thai twins come to rescue in hotel fire

BORDEAUX, France – Twin brothers who play professional tennis as a doubles team helped the wife and son of another doubles player escape from a hotel fire Monday morning.

Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana of Thailand were making their way through thick, black smoke to exit their hotel when they heard someone calling for them.

It was the wife of Lucas Arnold Ker, who is also in town for a Challenger Series tournament.

“After we got out of the room, we made some noise: ‘Is somebody still here?’ ” Sanchai said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “She called, ‘This way! This way!’ “

After the fire, the Thai twins went ahead with business as usual, heading to the practice courts. On Tuesday, they won their opening match at the tournament.