After being crowned WTA world No. 1 in the doubles rankings yesterday, Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei thanked all the businesses and individuals who have supported her career.
Hsieh secured the No. 1 spot, which she now shares with her Chinese doubles partner Peng Shuai, after the pair reached the semi-finals of the Mutua Madrid Open last week.
Hsieh and Peng fell in the semi-finals to unseeded Spanish duo Garbine Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro, but the loss did not affect their place at the top of the rankings.
Photo: CNA
Hsieh became the first tennis player from Taiwan to ever hold a world No. 1 ranking in any category — a feat she was quick to attribute to the constant support and inspiration she has received from those around her.
As the official WTA rankings were updated, Hsieh wrote on her Facebook page that it was “the beginning of a new chapter in Taiwanese tennis history.”
In the post, Hsieh said she was inspired by her “idol” Lu Yen-hsun, who made history in 2010 by becoming the first Taiwanese tennis player to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.
Hsieh said she was lucky “to have been able to witness Lu’s efforts first hand,” and has always seen him as her “role model.”
She thanked the many people, including numerous sponsors and benefactors, who have supported her on her road to success.
In addition, her close friends gave her “the best support on the tennis court,” she wrote.
Every bit of support — however small — has been indispensable in her efforts to become world No. 1, Hsieh said.
The 28-year-old ended her Facebook post on a humorous note, saying she “will continue to play tennis for a while yet. So please stay calm.”
Hsieh and Peng are set to play at the Internazionali d’Italia in Rome this week, where they are the top seeds in the women’s doubles.
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