Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Su-Wei played the last singles match of her tennis career when she lost to Hungarian Anna Bondar 7-6(3) 6-4 in the first round of the Australian Open qualifying.
Facing off against a competitor who was merely four years old when Hsieh commenced her professional journey in 2001, the 38-year-old veteran capped off a distinguished singles career. Her legacy includes a collection of three WTA singles titles: triumphs in Hiroshima (2018), Kuala Lumpur, and Guangzhou (both in 2012). Noteworthy among her achievements is a memorable quarterfinal run at the 2021 Australian Open and a career-best singles ranking of No.23.
Having signaled her impending departure on New Year’s Eve, Hsieh reflected on her farewell to the singles competition, stating, “For the singles, the final set goal – Grand Slam final eight, has been done! Time to end this fantasy journey.”
While her singles chapter draws to a close, Hsieh’s narrative in doubles continues to unfold as a compelling tale. The former doubles world No.1, currently holding the No.6 spot, boasts an impressive record of six Grand Slam doubles titles. As the highest-ranked Taiwanese player in both singles and doubles in the annals of tennis history, Hsieh is set to reunite with Elise Mertens for the 2024…
