Chang Kai-chen advanced to the semi-finals of the singles at the OEC Taipei WTA Challenger yesterday, while fellow Taiwanese Chan Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan set up an all-Taiwanese showdown in the semi-finals of the doubles at the Taipei Arena.
World No. 154 Chang defeated world No. 145 Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand 6-1, 7-5 in 1 hour, 12 minutes in their quarter-final at the WTA 125k tournament in the capital.
Taoyuan-born Chang saved five of seven break points and converted five of seven, winning 70 of the 120 points contested, despite notching up six double faults.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times
The Taiwanese improved her career record over the Thai to 3-2 with her first victory over Kumkhum since a 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 6-2 win in Taipei back in 2012.
In today’s semi-finals, Chang faces eighth seed Marina Erakovic of New Zealand, who ousted German world No. 126 Tatjana Maria 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) in 1 hour, 34 minutes.
The world No. 114, who was born in Split, Croatia, saved one of three break points and converted three of four, winning 71 of the 133 points contested.
Erakovic is one of only two seeds to make it to today’s semi-finals, the other being sixth seed Evgeniya Rodina of Russia.
The world No. 104 dropped the first set of her quarter-final against Ashleigh Barty 1-6. The Russian then raced to a 3-0 lead in the second before the world No. 325 from Ipswich, Australia, was forced to retire.
Rodina faces Olga Govortsova in the other semi-final after the Belarussian cruised past Vitalia Diatchenko of Russia 6-1, 6-3 in 61 minutes.
The home fans are guaranteed a Taiwanese pairing to cheer on in tomorrow’s double final after top seeds the Chan sisters kept their bid to reclaim the Taipei title on track with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Ankita Raina of India and Emily Webley-Smith of Britain in 55 minutes in their doubles quarter-final.
The home favorites saved two of four break points and converted five of eight, winning 53 of the 88 points contested to set up a semi-final against fellow Taiwanese Chang and Chuang Chia-jung.
The Chans have a 1-0 career record over their fellow Taiwanese, a 6-4, 6-3 victory in the 2014 final in Taipei.
It was not such a good day for Chan Chin-wei in the other quarter-final, as the Taiwanese and Riko Sawayanagi of Japan fell to 6-2, 6-4 defeat to third seeds Naomi Broady of Britain and Ipek Soylu of Turkey in 55 minutes.
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