Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei cruised into the second round of the Tianjin Open yesterday after a 6-1, 6-1 win over Anastasia Rodionova of Australia.
World No. 160 Hsieh saved two of three break-point chances and converted six of seven to defeat the world No. 183 in just 51 minutes.
Asian Games gold medalist Hsieh next faces China’s Zhang Shuai, who defeated Danka Kovinic of Montenegro 6-2, 6-1.
Hsieh, the world No. 4 in doubles, will be teaming up with world No. 8 Sania Mirza next season after the Indian player told the Deccan Chronicle that her current partnership with Zimbabwe’s Cara Black would end after the WTA Finals in Singapore later this month.
“Next season I will play with Hsieh Su-wei of Chinese Taipei, who is No. 4 in [the] doubles ranking. Cara [Black] is a very dear friend of mine and I wish her well,” Mirza told the Chronicle.
Also qualifying for the second round of the singles yesterday were top seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, China’s Zheng Saisai, Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic, Ajla Tomljanovic of Croatia, fourth seed Varvara Lepchenko of the US, China’s Peng Shuai and Russian qualifier Elizaveta Kulichkova.
In the doubles, Taiwan’s Chuang Chia-jung and Olga Govortsova of Belarus advanced to the quarter-finals after a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Chinese duo Tian Ran and Yang Zhaoxuan in 1 hour, 19 minutes.
Chuang and Govortsova saved two of five break-point chances and converted six of 14 to set up a clash with Alison Riske of the US and Tomljanovic after the third-seeded duo defeated Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-hsin and Zhu Lin of China 6-2, 6-3.
Taiwan’s Chan Chin-wei, another Asian Games gold medalist, also advanced to the quarter-finals along with partner Xu Yi-fan of China with a walkover after Swiss pairing Belinda Bencic and Romina Oprandi withdrew.
JAPAN WOMEN’S OPEN
Taiwan’s Chan Yung-jan had a mixed day at the Japan Women’s Open in Osaka yesterday, crashing out in the first round of the singles, before battling through to the quarter-finals of the doubles.
Chan fell to a 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 loss in the singles to fifth seed Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan in 1 hour, 18 minutes after the world No. 37 converted six of 11 break-point chances.
She then teamed up with her younger sister Chan Hao-ching, both Asian Games gold medalists, to grind out a 6-1, 3-6, 10-5 victory over Japanese duo Makota Ninomiya and Mari Tanaka in the doubles.
The Chan sisters saved three of five break-point chances and converted three of 10 to set up a quarter-final clash against another Japanese pairing, Misa Eguchi and Eri Hozumi, who defeated fellow Japanese duo Naomi Osaka and Risa Ozaki 6-2, 6-1.
Meanwhile, also advancing from the first round of the singles were top seed Samantha Stosur of Australia, fellow Australian Jarmila Gajdosova, Japan’s Misaki Doi, fourth seed Coco Vanderweghe of the US, Croatia’s Ana Konjuh, Lara Arruabarrena of Spain, eighth seed Lauren Davis of the US and Japanese qualifier Shuko Aoyama.
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