Chang Kai-chen is today to be a double finalist at the Taipei Arena after she took just 69 minutes to complete an assured victory in her OEC Taipei WTA Challenger singles semi-final yesterday, before returning to the court alongside Chuang Chia-jung to win an all-Taiwanese showdown against the Chan sisters in their doubles semi-final.
The Taoyuan-born world No. 154 completed a 6-3, 6-2 victory over eighth seed Marina Erakovic of New Zealand in the first singles semi-final at the WTA 125k tournament.
“In this match I didn’t lose my concentration, I always stayed focused on the match and got myself in every rally early,” Chang told the WTA Web site.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times
The Taiwanese 25-year-old did not face a single break point and converted four of five, firing five aces and winning 60 of the 100 points contested to improve her career record against Erakovic to 1-2 after defeats on grass in 2008 and 2011.
It is to be Chang’s third WTA Tour final after two losses in 2012, to Kristina Mladenovic of France in Taipei and Heather Watson of Britain in Osaka, Japan.
“I am not under any pressure right now, I just want to enjoy the game and seize the moment to play in front of my countrypeople,” Chang said.
Chang faces sixth seed Evgeniya Rodina in the final after the Russian’s semi-final opponent, Belarus’ Olga Govortsova, retired after 37 minutes after losing the first set 6-2.
It was the second straight day that Rodina’s opponent had to retire after Ashleigh Barty of Australia withdrew from their quarter-final on Friday due to an abdominal injury.
Chang and the Moscow-born 27-year-old world No. 104 have never met on the WTA Tour.
Chang and Chuang then teamed up in the first doubles semi-final and rallied from a set down against top-seeded sisters Chan Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan to complete a 2-6, 6-4, 10-4 victory in 1 hour, 24 minutes.
Chang and Chuang saved four of nine break points and converted four of 12 to avenge their loss to the Chan sisters in the 2014 doubles final in Taipei.
Chang and Chuang face Natela Dzalamidze and Veronika Kudermetova in the final after the Russians stunned third seeds Naomi Broady of Britain and Ipek Soylu of Turkey 6-3, 6-2 in just 53 minutes in the second semi-final.
The Russians saved both break points they faced and converted three of six, winning 55 of the 92 points contested.
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