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Hsieh defies odds to trash Bammer in straight sets

Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei exclaims after winning her women's singles match against Sybille Bammer of Austria at the Australian Open in Melbourne yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei defied the odds to beat Austrian No. 19 seed Sybille Bammer in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0, to earn a place in the third round of the Australian Open in Melbourne yesterday.

The one-sided match resulted in the most impressive win of her career and arguably the best performance by a Taiwanese player, male or female, at a Grand Slam singles event.

It took Hsieh, ranked No. 158 in the world, 29 minutes to claim the first set and the match was over after only 67 minutes, reflecting the dominance of the 22-year-old from Taipei.

Hsieh has now won five matches in a row in Melbourne, three in the qualifying tournament and two in the main draw, to earn her third-round place.

Hsieh hit almost double the number of winners that the world No. 20 from Linz managed and was more consistent, making only 17 unforced errors to Bammer's 28.

The Austrian, one of only three mothers playing on the WTA tour, failed to convert any of her five break points and only managed to win 41 percent of points on her first serve compared with Hsieh's 85 percent.

Following her shock victory, Hsieh, who had never previously been beyond the first round at one of the year's four major tournaments, will now face promising French teenager Arvane Rezai. The 19-year-old from St Etienne also downed a higher-ranked player yesterday, compatriot and No. 13 seed Tatiana Golovin, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Should Hsieh manage to beat Rezai, she faces the unenviable prospect of a clash with world No. 1 Justine Henin in the fourth round.
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