Taiwanese women’s doubles star Hsieh Su-wei and Latvian partner Jelena Ostapenko on Wednesday survived a near upset to the unseeded duo of Sorana Cirstea of Romania and Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya, setting up a semi-final showdown against last year’s winners.
Despite losing a hard-fought opening set 7-6 (7/4) on a tiebreak, the fourth seeds turned up the heat, losing just five games in the final two sets to handily put down Cirstea and Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-2.
Nicknamed “Su-Penko,” the pair are next to face top seeds Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic and Taylor Townsend of the US in a reversal of last year’s semi-finals, when Hsieh and Belgian Elise Mertens were the top seeds and Siniakova and Townsend were seeded fourth.
Photo: AP
The Czech-American duo won that match 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, ending Hsieh’s campaign for a fifth women’s doubles title at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
Hsieh and Mertens won the women’s doubles title at Wimbledon in 2021, while the Taiwanese also won twice with the Czech Republic’s Barbora Strycova in 2023 and 2019, and in 2013 with China’s Peng Shuai.
In what is becoming a growing rivalry, Townsend and Siniakova in January denied Hsieh and Ostapenko the Australian Open title, which Hsieh and Mertens won last year.
Photo: Reuters
The No. 1 seeds advanced on Wednesday with a 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 victory over 10th seeds Timea Babos of Hungary and Luisa Stefani of Brazil.
In men’s singles, Novak Djokovic set up a mouthwatering Wimbledon semi-final against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner as he moved a step closer to claiming a historic 25th Grand Slam title.
The Serb won 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 against Flavio Cobolli in front of Britain’s Queen Camilla to reach the Wimbledon last four for a record 14th time in the men’s game. Earlier, three-time major champion Sinner eased pre-match injury fears to sweep past US 10th seed Ben Shelton 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-4 in an impressive display.
In the women’s draw, five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek and former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic both reached the semi-finals for the first time and were last night after press time to clash for a place in the final.
Seven-time champion Djokovic was pushed hard by Italian 22nd seed Cobolli, but ultimately had too much nous and craft for the 23-year-old.
“It means the world to me that I’m still able at 38 to play the final stages of Wimbledon,” he said on court. “Thank you for cheering for my age. I really appreciate it. It’s beautiful. Makes me feel very young.”
The sixth seed prepared for the contest by meeting Camilla, the wife of King Charles III, who said she was keeping her “fingers crossed” for his match.
She watched Djokovic from the Royal Box, along with British actor Hugh Grant.
The Serb now owns the all-time record for most Wimbledon men’s singles semi-final appearances, moving one clear of eight-time champion Roger Federer, who reached the last four 13 times.
He has also reached a 52nd Grand Slam semi-final, extending his all-time record in the men’s game.
Djokovic is now within two wins of breaking his tie with Margaret Court for the most Grand Slam singles titles for any player, man or woman.
However, his semi-final against Sinner today would offer a different level of challenge.
The top seed has won his past four matches against Djokovic, beating him in straight sets in the semi-finals of the French Open last month.
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