TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Hsieh Su-wei (謝淑薇), Taiwan's tennis ace, and her Polish partner Jan Zielinski faced defeat in the Australian Open (AO) mixed doubles second round on Monday (Jan. 20). The duo lost 4-6, 4-6 to the American-Russian pair Jackson Withrow and Irina Khromacheva, ending their title defense hopes.
Hsieh, who achieved a rare double victory last year by winning both the women's and mixed doubles titles, entered this year's tournament with high expectations. She and Zielinski, seeded sixth, advanced smoothly through the first round. However, in the second-round match, the "Taiwan-Poland alliance" suffered a crucial break in the first set and missed three opportunities, resulting in a 4-6 loss.
Both teams held their serves for the first six games in the second set. Yet, the "Taiwan-Poland alliance" faltered in the seventh game, leading to their eventual 4-6 defeat and exit from the mixed doubles competition. Despite this setback, Hsieh remains in contention for the women's doubles title. She will team up with Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko to face Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk and Romania's Elena-Gabriela Ruse on Tuesday, aiming for a semifinal berth.
Fans eagerly await Hsieh's upcoming match, hoping for another championship glory chance. Her performance in the women's doubles could still mark a significant achievement in this year's Australian Open.