Mon, Jun 23, 2014 page17

• Taiwanese hopes return to Wimbledon

  • By Tony Phillips / Contributing reporter in LONDON
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  Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei returns to Wimbledon to defend her ladies’ doubles title on a high this week, having won the French Open with Chinese partner Peng Shuai earlier this month.

  The 28-year-old became the first Taiwanese to claim a Grand Slam title when she and Peng triumphed at the All England Club last year and the pair have gone from strength to strength since.

  Last year, they landed the season-ending TEP BNP Paribas WTA Championships title in Istanbul and they are currently jointly ranked as the No. 1 female doubles players in the world.

  

  Lu Yen-hsun of Taiwan pumps his fist in his match against Croatia’s Karlovic during the ATP tournament in Halle, Germany, on June 12.

  Photo: EPA

  “We’re the No. 1 team, and people may know us more now, but we still feel the same as before,” Peng told the WTA Web site. “All of this is nice because it helps us become more confident and believe in ourselves more on the court, and we’re more motivated now too, but nothing has changed. We’re still the same people.”

  The major threat to the Taiwanese-Chinese duo is likely to come from the pair they defeated in the final in Paris, Italians Roberta Vinci and Sara Errani, who are ranked joint-third in the world, although last year’s beaten finalists, Australian duo Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua, are expected to be eager to avenge their defeat.

  The reigning champs are to begin their title defense with a first-round clash against Darija Jurak of Croatia and Megan Moulton-Levy of the US.

  

  Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei, right, and China’s Peng Shuai speak between two points against Italy’s Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci during the French Open women’s double final match at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris on June 8.

  Photo: AFP

  Hsieh is also playing in the singles, the world No. 119 facing 19-year-old Czech Tereza Smitkova in the first round, a player ranked 55 places below the Hsinchu-born 28-year-old.

  Two Taiwanese are taking part in the men’s singles, Lu Yen-hsun and Jimmy Wang.

  Lu, whose finest hour came at Wimbledon in 2008 when he beat Andy Roddick on his way to the quarter-finals, is scheduled to play Aleksandr Nedovyesov of Kazakhatan in the first round.

  Should Lu win, a likely clash with reigning Australian Open champion and world No. 3 Stan Wawrinka looms in round two.

  Wang fought his way through qualifying to earn a first-round showdown with Colombian Alejandro Gonzalez, ranked No. 74 in the world.

  The lower-ranked Taiwanese is looking forward to returning to Wimbledon, where he has reached the second round on three occasions, most recently, last year.

  “I enjoy the atmosphere,” he said of his trips to the All England Club. “I want to stay here as long as possible because it’s such a prestigious tournament. You know, everybody’s dream is just to come to Wimbledon and play at Wimbledon.”

  For Wang, the tradition and history of the tournament is something special, but he takes the all-white dress code only so far.

  “You’ve got to wear white, but not everything ... I wear black underwear,” he said, laughing. “I love traditional things and history as well as [Wimbledon’s] prestige: Everybody wants to come and play and watch.”

  The 29-year-old has struggled with injuries recently and is philosophical about his chances, admitting that his form is “not great, not so bad, enough to play the match.”

  “I feel okay, I’m not in the best shape right now … tennis is such a physical game, especially on grass, best of five, you’ve gotta stay out there as long as possible,” he said. “Everyday you wake up, it’s different. You try to be the best you can on that day, in that moment.”

  Sisters Chan Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan complete the Taiwanese contingent playing at Wimbledon and have been drawn against Alize Cornet and Caroline Garcia of France in the women’s doubles.

  Garcia is the reigning OEC Taipei WTA Challenger doubles champion, having teamed up with Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan to land the title in November last year.

  The Chans are in great form though, having beaten Vinci and Errani in the semi-finals of the Aegon International tournament in Eastbourne, England, before claiming the title by defeating Martina Hingis and Flavia Pennetta 6-3, 5-7, 10-7 in Saturday’s final.
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