TENNIS/Hsieh, Ostapenko reach Toronto Masters women's doubles semifinals

Taipei, Aug. 10 (CNA) Taiwanese tennis veteran Hsieh Su-wei (謝淑薇) and her Latvian partner Jelena Ostapenko advanced to the women's doubles semifinals at the WTA 1000 Toronto Masters on Sunday, edging past an unseeded pairing in straight sets.

The fifth-seeded team of Hsieh and Ostapenko rallied from an early deficit in the opening set before prevailing 7-6 (4), 6-4 in the quarterfinals against Ann Li of the United States and Clara Tauson of Denmark.

Hsieh and Ostapenko were playing together for the first time in six months, using the event to warm up as they prepare for the U.S. Open, which begins in late August.

They had been regular partners from the start of 2025 through Wimbledon, but then did not play together again until late in the year and in early 2026 in events in Asia and Australia.

The last event they played together before this week's tournament in Toronto was the Qatar TotalEnergies Open in February.

In their match Sunday, Hsieh and Ostapenko fell behind 4-1, but the pair, both experienced Grand Slam campaigners, recovered by breaking back by holding serve down 5-4 to force a tiebreaker, which they won.

The duo carried their momentum into the second set, breaking serve twice to race to a 4-0 advantage.

Tauson and Li mounted a comeback to narrow the gap to 5-4, but Hsieh and Ostapenko held their nerve in the 10th game to close out the match.

The win sends Hsieh and Ostapenko into the semifinals, where they will face third-seeded Sara Errani of Italy and Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States for a place in the final.