Tennis Stars’ Rivalry Escalates at US Open

A personal feud between Taiwanese tennis stars Hsieh Su-wei and Chan Hao-ching exploded at the US Open during the Women’s Doubles Round of 16 at Flushing Meadows. The match saw intense exchanges, an umpire confrontation, and a deliberate post-match handshake snub.

The fourth-seeded pair, Hsieh and her Latvian partner, Jeļena Ostapenko, defeated Chan and Australian Maya Joint in straight sets, winning 6-4, 6-4. Ostapenko and Hsieh later accused Chan’s coach of taunting them by sarcastically applauding their errors and faults in Mandarin. Ostapenko, who doesn’t speak Mandarin, relied on Hsieh’s translation of the remarks.

Ostapenko labeled the actions disrespectful and requested a Chinese translator on the court. She loudly remarked, “They do this because they know they cannot beat us.” Upon winning, Ostapenko celebrated by shouting at Chan’s coaching box, highlighting the intensity of the rivalry.

Following the match, Chan shook Ostapenko’s hand but ignored Hsieh, walking past her without acknowledgment. The animosity traces back to domestic conflicts over resources and support within Taiwanese tennis politics. Both athletes represent Taiwan internationally under the “Chinese Taipei” name as dictated by governing rules.

Hsieh, a former doubles world No. 1, has criticized the Chinese Taipei Tennis Association for allegedly favoring Chan and her sister, Latisha Chan, in funding, sponsorship, and coaching matters. Tensions reached a peak at the 2016 Rio Olympics when Hsieh’s coach was sidelined in favor of the Chan sisters, leading Hsieh to withdraw from the Games.