appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Jonathan White

Veteran Hsieh Su-wei may have worn a dinosaur hat for her post-match interview but the 35-year-old proved she was more than a match for teen duo Coco Gauff and Leylah Fernandez at Indian Wells.
Taiwan’s Hsieh and her Belgian partner Elise Mertens moved on to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday, seeing off the up-and-comers 7-5, 6-4.
The No 2 seeds were forced to work in the first set as the teenagers dragged the score back to 5-5, but the experienced Hsieh, 35, and Mertens, 25, dug deep to take it.
American Gauff, 17, and the 19-year-old US Open singles finalist Fernandez had not dropped a set in their two matches to reach the quarter-finals, but they found themselves out of the tournament after another tight set went the way of Hsieh and Mertens.

We wanna be Su-wei Hsieh when we grow up #BNPPO21 pic.twitter.com/QyAMjHpKBl
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) October 13, 2021

Hsieh then put on the bright green dinosaur hat for her on-court interview at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, and explained it was a birthday wish from a physio.
“This is from the physio room and they were helping us for the whole year, they are working so hard and gave me this yesterday,” she said. “The girl was wearing this, it was her birthday, so she requested and I think ‘OK, I’ll do it.’”
Hsieh and Mertens to face Gauff and Fernandez in quarters
Hsieh and Mertens move on to the semi-finals as they look to secure a place at the WTA Finals next month in Guadalajara, with the annual season-ending tournament moved from Shenzhen because of pandemic restrictions.
The pair are ranked fifth on the Race to WTA Finals standings, a place behind US Open champions Zhang Shuai of China and Australia’s Samantha Stosur, with the top eight singles players and doubles partnerships qualifying.

Hsieh Su-wei is one word

LEGENDARY #BNPPO21 pic.twitter.com/ca7ajRdJXd
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) October 13, 2021

Zhang and Stosur did not play together at Indian Wells, allowing Hsieh and Mertens to make up ground – and reduce the 19-point deficit – by reaching the last four in California.
They join Shuka Aoyama and Ena Shibahara in the Indian Wells doubles semis after the Japanese duo beat fellow Japanese player Makito Ninomiya and Sabrina Santamaria of the US in straight sets.
The No 3 seeds have already qualified for this year’s WTA Finals, as have the Indian Wells top seeds Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova.

Final four bound

No.2 seed Hsieh/Mertens take out teen duo Fernandez/Gauff 7-5, 6-4.#BNPPO21 pic.twitter.com/ufVHRgzIUo
— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) October 13, 2021

The Czech duo will join them in the final four in California, along with Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine and Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko.
Fernandez’s doubles defeat ended her time at Indian Wells. The Canadian No 23 seed went out to Shelby Rogers of the US in the singles earlier in the day.


Philippines seek WTA exemption as Alexandra Eala skips China Open for Asian Games

China’s newest tennis star Sun facing familiar foe in third junior grand slam final

Meet Jelena Ostapenko, the fiery Latvian tennis star making headlines over US Open drama

Zheng Qinwen says return to form ‘painful process’ after win over Iga Swiatek at US Open

WTA (Women's Tennis Association)

Indian Wells: ‘Dinosaur’ Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens beat Coco Gauff and Leylah Fernandez for semi-final spot

Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei (right) and Elise Mertens of Belgium confer while playing Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Iga Swiatek of Poland during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. Photo: AFP

Indian Wells: Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens to face Coco Gauff and Leylah Fernandez in quarters

Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan and Elise Mertens of Belgium in action against Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the US and Iga Swiatek of Poland during the 2021 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. Photo: AFP

Indian Wells: Emma Raducanu out as Aliaksandra Sasnovich moves on to Simona Halep

Emma Raducanu returns a shot to Alaksandra Sasnovich at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament at Indian Wells. Photo: AP

Emma Raducanu reacts after losing a point to Alaksandra Sasnovich at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Friday Oct. 8, 2021, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Indian Wells: Zheng Saisai and Heather Watson doubles defeat ends Chinese and British interest in WTA event

Zheng Saisai of China returns a shot to Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic during the 2021 Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 26, 2021. Photo: AFP

epa09510044 Heather Watson of Great Britain in action against Sloane Stephens of the US at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California, USA, 06 October 2021. EPA-EFE/RAY ACEVEDO

Indian Wells: Zheng Saisai out of singles, Zhang Shuai and Sania Mirza waste three doubles match points

Zhang Shuai of China serves to Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine at the 2021 BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells tennis tournament. Photo: AP

(210601) -- PARIS, June 1, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Zheng Saisai of China hits a return during the women's singles first round match against Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, May 31, 2021. (Photo by Aurelien Morissard/Xinhua)

China No 1 Zhang Shuai dumped out in Indian Wells Masters singles opener

Zhang Shuai was eliminated by Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in the opening round at Indian Wells. Photo: AP

Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, returns a shot to Zhang Shuai, of China, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Sport

Tennis


Taiwanese veteran puts on dinosaur hat for physio’s birthday to celebrate straight-sets win over teenagers for place in final four
Hsieh and Mertens join Shuka Aoyama and Ena Shibahara of Japan, and Czech duo Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova, in semis



Taiwanese veteran Hsieh Su-wei puts on dinosaur hat for physio’s birthday to celebrate straight-sets win with Elise Mertens over teenagers for place in final four.


WTA Finals