Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei on Wednesday advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California.
Hsieh and partner Elise Mertens of Belgium dispatched Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani 6-1, 6-4 to set up a clash against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez for a spot in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament.
Hsieh and Martens made a blistering start to their rematch after they lost to Schuurs and Stefani in the quarter-finals at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open last month, winning three games without reply at the start of the first set and breaking their Dutch-Brazilian opponents’ serve several times to clinch the opener.
Photo: AFP
In the second set, Hsieh and Mertens broke at 4-4 before seeing out the set 6-4.
They have won two doubles titles at Grand Slam tournaments together, including this year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2021.
In the women’s singles, Emma Navarro beat second seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in the fourth round for the biggest win of the young American’s career.
Photo: AFP
Navarro improved to 18-5 this year, with her victories leading the WTA Tour. She is 11-2 in three-set matches.
“I was able to stay aggressive on returns even though she has a really good serve,” Navarro said in an on-court interview. “Played some better service games in the third set and just was able to put a lot of pressure on her throughout. I think that’s what made the difference.”
Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, trailed 1-4 in the third set and won just one more game before getting broken on Navarro’s second match point.
“It’s never easy coming out and playing an opponent like that, so experienced and just so talented, obviously,” Navarro said. “She made it really tough on me today, but I was able to play some good tennis in the big moments.”
Navarro’s win advanced her to the quarter-finals against ninth seed Maria Sakkari, who beat Diane Parry, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
Coco Gauff celebrated her 20th birthday with a 6-0, 6-2 win in just over an hour against Mertens.
Yuan Yue of China defeated 11th seed Daria Kasatkina 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 and faces Gauff next.
On the men’s side, fourth seed Daniil Medvedev had just eight winners in a 6-4, 6-4 win over 13th seed Grigor Dimitrov.
Medvedev held at love to close out the match, his seventh win in 10 career matches over the Bulgarian.
Seventh seed Holger Rune outlasted 2022 winner Taylor Fritz, 2-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 to earn a quarter-final against Medvedev.
Ninth seed Casper Ruud rallied to beat 37-year-old Gael Monfils 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 and is to play Tommy Paul, who ousted Luca Nardi of Italy 6-4, 6-3.
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