TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwanese tennis star Hsieh Su-wei and her Polish partner Jan Zielinski snagged the mixed doubles championship at the Australian Open on Friday (Jan. 26).
The duo, who decided to partner up at the last moment before the game, managed to pull off a spectacular reverse win against American player Desirae Krawczyk and British player Neal Skupski. Scoring 6-7, 6-4, and 11-9, Hsieh and Zielinski successfully fended off a championship point from their opponents.
This victory holds significant meaning for both Hsieh and Zielinski. For Hsieh, it marks her first mixed doubles victory in a Grand Slam contest. As for Zielinski, he etches his name in history as the first Pole to secure a Grand Slam mixed doubles trophy.
Before teaming up with Hsieh, Zielinski had recognized her as an experienced doubles player. He revealed that, during our warm-up before the match, Hsieh mentioned being a curse breaker. He expressed his appreciation for how she broke the curse in Friday's mixed doubles final. Zielinski was overjoyed with their championship win and felt honored to work with Hsieh, whom he hailed as a "legendary figure and magician."
In response, Hsieh confidently endorsed her partner's playing abilities, stating, "I knew he was a skilled player in areas like the baseline, net, and serve. I just needed to do my job well."