Chang Kai-chen triumphed in an all-Taiwanese first-round showdown at the OEC Taipei WTA Challenger at the Taipei Arena yesterday.
The world No. 154 defeated wild-card Hsu Ching-wen 6-3, 6-3 in 69 minutes.
Chang saved all four break points and converted three of three, winning 67 of the 120 points contested to advance to a second-round clash with either China’s Zhang Kai-lin or Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
Chang’s victory was the high spot of an otherwise disappointing day for the Taiwanese fans in the nation’s capital.
Earlier, Taiwanese wild-card Hsu Chieh-yu crashed out 6-2, 7-5 to Japanese qualifier Junri Namigata in 1 hour, 24 minutes.
Namigata, the world No. 289, saved four of five break points and converted four of eight, winning 77 of the 132 points contested to advance to a second-round clash against Ashleigh Barty after the Australian stunned third seed Maria Sakkari of Greece 6-4, 0-6, 6-3.
Hsu returned to the court in the first round of the doubles alongside Dalila Jakupovic, but she fared no better as the Taiwanese-Slovenian duo were beaten 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 by Evgeniya Rodina and Olga Govortsova in 1 hour, 19 minutes.
It was not Lee Pei-chi’s day either, as she was crushed 6-2, 6-1 by sixth seed Rodina in 65 minutes.
The Russian saved all four break points she faced against the Taiwanese and converted five of 11, winning 64 of the 103 points contested to advance to a second-round clash with Jakupovic.
Also advancing to the second round of the singles was former champion Alison van Uytvanck of Belgium, who crushed Hiroko Kuwata of Japan 6-0, 6-1; eighth seed Marina Erakovic of New Zealand, who defeated Japanese lucky loser Kyoka Okamura 6-4, 6-2; Julia Boserup of the US, who ousted Japan’s Riko Sawayanagi 6-2, 7-5; and Turkeys’ Ipek Soylu, who advanced when Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia retired.
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