TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Hsieh Su-wei (謝淑薇) and her Latvian partner Jelena Ostapenko advanced to the Australian Open (AO) women's doubles semifinals on Tuesday (Jan. 21) by defeating Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk and Romania's Elena-Gabriela Ruse with a score of 6-2, 5-7, 7-5. The dynamic duo showcased their prowess early in the match, breaking Ruse's serve in the second game and again in the sixth to secure the first set.
The second set turned into a battle of breaks. Hsieh committed a double fault on her serve with the score tied at 5-5, allowing their opponents to level the match at 7-5. Despite the setback, Hsieh and Ostapenko regained their composure in the deciding set. Although Hsieh lost her serve in the seventh game, she quickly broke back, and Ostapenko's powerful baseline shots clinched the match at 7-5.
The pair will face Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealand's Erin Routliffe in the semifinals. Dabrowski and Routliffe, reigning champions of last year's season-ending tournament, advanced to the semifinals with a straight-sets victory. Last year, Hsieh claimed the AO women's doubles title with Belgium's Elise Mertens. This year, she teamed up with Ostapenko as the tournament's third seed, winning their first three rounds in straight sets.
Fans eagerly anticipate the semifinal clash, with Hsieh and Ostapenko's formidable partnership promising an exciting contest against the accomplished Dabrowski and Routliffe.