The Chan sisters yesterday began their defense of their Hong Kong Open doubles title with a straight-sets victory, while fellow Taiwanese Chang Kai-chen also advanced to the quarter-finals.
Top seeds Chan Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan defeated Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan and Misa Eguchi of Japan 6-2, 6-2 in 59 minutes at the Victoria Park Tennis Stadium.
The Taiwanese sisters saved three of five break points and converted six of 10, winning 52 of the 91 points contested to advance to a quarter-final against either Eugenie Bouchard of Canada and Shelby Rogers of the US or Julia Glushko of Israel and Priscilla Hon of Australia, who were scheduled to play their first-round match late yesterday.
Also advancing to the quarter-finals were Chang and Monique Adamczak, who completed a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Jacqueline Cako of the US and Valeria Savinykh of Russia in 68 minutes.
The Taiwanese-Australian duo saved four of five break points and converted four of eight, winning 60 of the 102 points contested to advance to a quarter-final against Desirae Krawczyk of the US and Giuliana Olmos of Mexico, who stunned second seeds Shuko Aoyama of Japan and Yang Zhaoxuan of China 3-6, 6-4, 10-8.
In the singles, Venus Williams also suffered a shock exit after she was comprehensively beaten 7-5, 6-2 by teenager Naomi Osaka.
Japan’s top-ranked player reeled off eight consecutive games at one stage to power into the quarter-finals.
It had all seemed to be going to plan for the American second seed when she broke the 19-year-old in the fifth game of the opening set, but then Williams’ first serve deserted her when serving for the set at 5-4.
Two double faults and a series of fierce ground strokes from Osaka that unerringly kissed the lines enabled the world No. 64 to break twice and take the set 7-5.
“She played well,” a disappointed Williams, 37, told reporters. “You know I made a few errors at 5-4 and after that she played pretty flawless. I can only give her credit.”
“Venus is someone I’ve respected and admired,” said Osaka, who had not been born when Williams reached her first Grand Slam final at the 1997 US Open. “I’ve grown up watching her. Even though she [is] someone I admire, it’s just another opponent at the end of the day, so I tried to focus hard.”
At the rain-affected Tianjin Open, Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei finally got her singles campaign under way with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over China’s Lu Jingjing in 62 minutes.
Hsieh faces Zhu Lin in the second round today after the Chinese world No. 113 stunned second seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
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