Taiwan’s Chan Yung-jan reached the semi-finals of the mixed doubles at the Australian Open yesterday at the expense of compatriot Chuang Chia-jung in an exciting showdown at Melbourne Park.
Chan and Paul Hanley of Australia defeated Chuang and Dick Norman of Belgium 6-2, 4-6, [10-7] and now face Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the US and Horia Tecau of Romania for a place in the final.
The Aussie/Taiwanese duo looked like they were in for an easy ride when they took the first set in only 26 minutes, breaking Chuang’s serve twice, but their opponents bounced back to set up a match tiebreak (10 points) to decide the contest.
Chan and Hanley held their nerve to earn the win and continue the Taiwanese player’s fine record at the Australian Open.
The 21-year-old claimed the junior doubles title in 2004 and reached the final of the women’s doubles in 2007.
“I feel comfortable here,” Chan said last week when asked to explain her performances over the years in Melbourne. “I feel great here, relaxed and when I play the results have come.”
Chan and Hanley are seeking their first-ever Grand Slam titles, but won’t find things easy.
Even if they beat Mattek-Sands and Tecau, they face the prospect of a final against either No. 2 seeds Daniel Nestor and Katarina Srebotnik or No. 3 seeds Maria Kirilenko and Nenad Nimonjic.
Srebotnik and Nimonjic are the reigning French Open mixed doubles champions while Nestor is one of the world’s most accomplished doubles players and Kirilenko is an eight-time WTA tour doubles title winner.
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