Top seed and world No.25 Su-Wei Hsieh was eliminated in the first round of the Moorilla Hobart International today by Shuai Peng of China in a marathon three set match.
After two and a half hours on court the 26-year-old took victory 6-2 6-7(4) 7-6 (4) to send the Chinese Taipei top seed packing.
This match was set up as a mouthwatering encounter with these players having a history of playing long matches. The last time the pair met was at the London 2012 Olympics where Peng prevailed 6-3 6-7 7-5. To add further intrigue to the match Hsieh and Peng share an intimate knowledge of each other’s game having won four WTA doubles titles together and being good friends.
It was Peng who took the early lead, bursting out of the blocks to take the first set 6-2. She strengthened her grip on the match early in the second smashing a number of backhand winners to break the top seeds serve twice and set up a seemingly insurmountable 5-2 lead.
But Hsieh produced a big service game to stay in the match and spark a complete shift in momentum, breaking back in the next game before leveling at 5-5. Both players then traded service holds before Hsieh prevailed 7-4 in the tiebreak to send the match to a third set.
The third set saw Peng regain control of the match consolidating an early break to take a 3-1 lead. In the fifth game Peng extended her advantage, breaking the top seed to love and appearing comfortable at 4-1. But Hsieh was not finished, fighting hard and surviving three match points to bring the score to 5-5.
The final set went all the way to a tiebreak, which was eventually won, by the world No. 33 Peng who clinched the final set tiebreaker 7-4.
Peng’s victory ensures a second round encounter with Romanian Monica Niculescu who overcame qualifier Mandy Minella of Luxembourg earlier today. After making her way through the first round Peng will be looking to repeat her 2011 performance in the Moorilla Hobart International where she made the semi-final.
By Nick Cuthbertson