Taiwanese world No. 1 Latisha Chan’s bid for a first title of the season, and a first with new partner Andrea Sestini Hlavackova, was yesterday ended in a super tiebreak in the semi-finals of the doubles at the Brisbane International in Australia.
Top seeds Chan — who previously played on the WTA Tour using her Chinese name, Chan Yung-jan — and Sestini Hlavackova recovered from a set down to force a super tiebreak, but came up just short in a 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 11-9 loss to fourth seeds Andreja Klepac of Slovenia and Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in one hour, 55 minutes.
The Taiwanese-Czech duo, world No. 1 and No. 5 respectively, saved six of nine break points and converted five of 10, but it was not enough as the fourth seeds booked a spot in today’s final against Dutch duo Kiki Bertens and Demi Schuurs, who ousted second-seeded Australian pairing Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 10-8.
Qualifier Sasnovich reaches Brisbane International final
In the women’s singles, Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich yesterday became the first qualifier ever to reach the final of the tournament when she beat seventh-seeded Latvian Anastasija Sevastova.
The 23-year-old Sasnovich outlasted Sevastova 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in 93 minutes to move into today’s final against either Karolina Pliskova or Elina Svitolina.
Sasnovich has had a grueling tournament this week, coming through three rounds of qualifying and four main draw matches to reach the final.
In four of those matches she has needed to come from a set down, and had spent more than 10 hours on court before her semi-final.
She is also playing with both thighs heavily strapped and has needed injury time-outs in her last three matches.
However, she showed no signs of fatigue during the first set and was stronger than Sevastova in the tiebreaker, taking an early lead and holding on to win the first set.
The second set went with serve until 4-4 when Sasnovich attacked with some powerful returns to break the Latvian.
She then comfortably held her own serve to book a spot in the final.
“It was a very good match and I’m really happy to finish in two sets,” Sasnovich said. “It was very close with Anastasija. We play at the same level.”
“I took all my chances today as well. I served well, played well from the baseline. I’m happy with my win today,” she added.
SHENZHEN OPEN
AFP, SHENZHEN, China
Former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova yesterday dumped out in the semi-finals of the Shenzhen Open, losing in three sets to holder Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.
The Russian is to return to the top 50 next week with the Australian Open looming at the end of the month, but she failed to reach her second final since returning in April last year after a drugs ban.
Siniakova, the sixth seed, beat the 30-year-old 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 and is to face world No. 1 Simona Halep in the final.
Halep cruised into the decider in southern China with a comfortable 6-1, 6-4 victory over fellow Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu.
Sharapova was banned for 15 months for taking the performance-enhancing substance meldonium.
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