Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 9
Hsieh, Ostapenko Beat Chan 6-4, 6-4 as US Open Feud Erupts in Handshake Snub
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 9

Hsieh, Ostapenko Beat Chan 6-4, 6-4 as US Open Feud Erupts in Handshake Snub

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 9

Summary

  • Fourth-seeded Hsieh Su-wei and Jeļena Ostapenko beat Chan Hao-ching and Maya Joint 6-4, 6-4 in the US Open women’s doubles Round of 16, then watched the match end with Chan bypassing Hsieh at the net.
  • Mid-match, Hsieh and Ostapenko accused Chan’s coach of sarcastic taunts from the player box in Mandarin; Hsieh translated on court as Ostapenko confronted the umpire and demanded a Chinese translator.
  • Match point intensified the clash when Ostapenko screamed toward Chan’s box, after saying the taunts reflected opponents who 'cannot beat us.'
  • The snub capped a feud rooted in Taiwan tennis politics, with Hsieh long alleging the Chinese Taipei Tennis Association favored Chan and sister Latisha in funding, sponsorship and coaching support.
  • That dispute dates at least to the 2016 Rio Olympics, when Hsieh said officials sidelined her coach in favor of the Chans, prompting her withdrawal and a grudge that resurfaced at Flushing Meadows.

Insights

Will the explosive US Open drama finally force the Chinese Taipei Tennis Association to address allegations of blatant favoritism?
What really triggered the decade-long feud between Taiwan's top tennis stars, and how does it expose flaws in national sports funding?
Did the alleged taunting cross a line, or was it just another psychological weapon in this bitter, decade-long tennis rivalry?