(September 22, 2012) -- In a tense final that had several momentum shifts until the very end, Taiwan's Hsieh Su-Wei claimed her second WTA title of the year at the GRC Bank Guangzhou International Women's Open.
Facing rising U.K star Laura Robson who was competing in her first ever WTA final, Hsieh used her unorthodox style of hitting with two hands on both sides to take the first set 6-3 and then jump out to a 5-3 lead in the second. Hsieh held five match points but Robson fought them all off, three of them with winners, to begin her comeback as she won the next four games to win the second set 7-5.
A brief rain delay before the start of the third set gave appeared to benefit Hsieh as it allowed her time to regroup but when the match resumed, it was Robson who picked up where she left off as she soared to a 3-0 lead. The humid conditions proved to be as much as challenge for Robson as her opponent with Robson saying on Twitter after the match, "I think I just played in the sweatiest WTA final of the year."
But Robson's inability to break Hsieh's serve along with the Brit's total 11 double faults for the match proved her undoing as it was Hsieh who broke Robson twice in the final set. That allowed Hsieh to win the last six of seven games to seal a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 victory in just under three hours of play.
This is the second title of the year for Hsieh who
won Kuala Lumpur earlier this year. Hsieh's efforts this week will now send her to a projected career best ranking in the top 40 while Robson herself will make her top 60 debut when the WTA rankings come out on Monday.
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GRC BANK GUANGZHOU INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S OPEN
Guangzhou, China
September 17-22, 2012
$220,000/International
Hard/Outdoors
Tournament Website: GRC Bank Guangzhou Open | Live Scores | Draws
RESULTS -- SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2012