Leylah Fernandez v. (5) Anna Blinkova

The left-handed Fernandez, the 2021 US Open runner-up who was ranked as high as No. 13 in the world, came out on fire right from the get-go, breaking the 5th-seeded Blinkova twice with a variety of sharp-angled drives and delicate drop shots to nullify her opponent's power game. The Canadian also served extremely well, reaching 80% on first serves and hit 12 winners and only 2 unforced errors to take the first set 6-2.

Fernandez was everywhere and getting everything thrown at her by Blinkova, as she broke serve again to go up 2-0. Points were hard to come by for Blinkova, as Fernandez consolidated for a quick-fire 3-0 lead. A great hold from Blinkova, who had to work hard to get on the board here in the second set, 3-1. Fernandez had yet to face a break point on her serve and she held for 4-1 courtesy of a blinding forehand down the line screamer. Blinkova finally carved out her first break point and capitalised to break Fernandez to peg the score back to 4-3. The 5th seed consolidated well to draw even 4-4.

Well-placed first deliveries, coupled with gutsy second serves, saw Fernandez hold with a roar of approval from the crowd to move ahead 5-4. Fernandez arrived at triple match point on Blinkova's serve, but the fifth seed saved all three to force deuce. Another double fault brought up a fourth match point for Fernandez. However, she missed a forehand down the line by just millimeters, and that gave the impetus for Blinkova to hold eventually for 5-5.

Fernandez held to 15 with great serving again and put the pressure firmly back on Blinkova now, 6-5. Fernandez had her opponent down 0-40 three match points again and this time, she was able to capitalise. Game, set, and match Fernandez 6-2 7-5.

Leylah Fernandez capitalised on her fourth match point to prevail against 5th seed Anna Blinkova 6-2 7-5: "The match was tough. She's a tremendous player, who hits with a lot of power. I just tried to stay calm and remind myself it's a battle, so just put on a good show for everyone. It feels amazing playing in front of the Hong Kong crowd. Thank you so much for coming out and I'll see you tomorrow!"

Katerina Siniakova v. (6) Martina Trevisan

Siniakova broke her opponent after three long deuces to go up 1-0, but Trevisan stood her ground and won most of the long rallies to break back to even things up at 1-1. Siniakova was not quite firing on all cylinders yet, as Trevisan produced a love hold to lead 2-1. Siniakova was not striking her shots as crisp as she did in her evening match against Pavlyuchenkova and she lost serve again to trail 3-1. Siniakova connected on her second break point opportunity after a long game that went to deuce three times, 3-2.

Siniakova aced down the tee from the ad court to hold for 3-3. Trevisan conceded her serve for the second straight time to trail 4-3. Far less unforced errors from Siniakova compared to the start of the set, as she held comfortably for a 5-3 lead. A confident hold from Siniakova, as she smacked a vicious backhand down the line winner to grab the first set 6-4.

Trevisan did well to fend off a break point to hold her opening serve to go up 1-0. However, Siniakova's power and depth began to shine through, as she broke the Italian sixth seed to go up 2-1 before consolidating with backhand crosscourt drive to hold for a 3-1 lead. Although Trevisan managed to save three break points from 0-40 down to force deuce, the big-hitting Siniakova was by now dictating play and placing her opponent's serve under siege, as she ripped a forehand down the line winner to break for 4-1.

A sub-par service game from Siniakova and Trevisan took advantage of some excellent service returns to break her opponent to love to get back to 4-2. For the fourth time of asking, Siniakova broke again to go up 5-2 and to give herself the chance to serve it out after the changeover. Although the never-say-die Trevisan managed to save two match points in the end, it was not enough to stop the big-hitting Siniakova from going through in straight sets 6-4 6-2.

(2) Katarzyna Piter/Lidziya Marozava v. Tang Qianhui/Tsao Chia Yi

Marozava reached a career-high of No. 37 in the WTA doubles rankings. She has won four doubles titles on the WTA Tour plus two doubles titles on the WTA Challenger Tour. She has also won 21 doubles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. She was runner-up to Samantha Stosur/Zhang Shuai at the 2018 Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open.

Piter reached a career-high WTA No. 66 in doubles last July. She has won two career WTA doubles titles, as well as 8 singles and 25 doubles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. She partnered Kristina Mladenovic to win her first WTA doubles title at the Palermo Open in 2013. Then in 2023, ten years after her first title, she paired Fanny Stollar to win the Budapest Grand Prix. She finished in the year-end top 100 three times in her career.

The 23-year-old Tang Qianhui reached her career-high of No. 109 in the WTA doubles rankings and has won two doubles titles on Tour, with both coming at the WTA 250 Nanchang Open in 2017 and 2018. She won a silver medal in mixed doubles at this year's World University Games. She has also won 12 doubles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. However, because Tang played her last pre-covid match in January 2020 and then did not compete again on the ITF Circuit until January 2023, her ranking has taken a dive to the current No. 346.

The 19-year-old Tsao Chia Yi, who only started to play on the ITF Women's Circuit in 2022, has won 12 doubles titles in her career. She was also a member of the Chinese Taipei women's team that won the gold medal at the World University Games in Chengdu. She is currently ranked No. 354.

Currently ranked No. 63 and No. 69 respectively, Piter/Marozava broke their opponents in the second game and served for the set with a 5-3 lead in hand. Tang/Tsao broke back to force a 6-6 stalemate, but the more experienced pair came up with three mini-breaks to win the tiebreak 7-2.

In the ensuing set, it was Tang/Tsao who broke in the second game to lead 3-0 and proceeded to maintain that one-break advantage. Tsao, who is making her maiden WTA Tour debut, volleyed well tonight, as they held to love to win the set 6-3 to force a third set super-tiebreak in which the first-time Chinese Taipei-China combo produced four mini-breaks to upset the No. 2 seed to progress to the final.

Tsao Chia Yi: "I had no idea I was even going to compete here in Hong Kong. I was like planning my holiday and everything and then my mom called and told me I got in the draw. Now, we're in the final. It feels kind of unreal at the moment!"

Tang and Tsao is the lowest-ranked Direct Acceptance pair in the doubles draw other than Vienna Lai/Sher Chun Wing and Maggie Ng/Wu Ho Ching, who are both wildcard entries.

(1)Anna Danilina/Alexandra Panova v. (3)Oksana Kalashnikova/Aliaksandra Sasnovich

Oksana Kalashnikova/Aliaksandra Sasnovich won seven straight games from 4-1 down to take a 6-4 2-0 lead in the second. In all, they broke No. 1 seed Anna Danilina/Alexandra Panova five times tonight to win 6-4 6-3 to set up a showdown with Tang Qianhui/Tsao Chia Yi.

The 33-year-old Kalashnikova reached a career-high WTA ranking of No. 42 in September. She has won six WTA Tour doubles titles with three doubles titles on the WTA Challenger Tour, as well as 25 doubles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. In 2023, she captured the doubles title at the WTA 250 Prague, and is currently ranked No. 46 in the world.

Sasnovich peaked at No. 39 in the WTA doubles rankings in 2021 and has won seven doubles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. Although she is primarily a singles player, she reached the round of sixteen in doubles at the 2023 Australian Open and is currently ranked No. 98 in the world.

Earlier in the first round, Anna Danilina/Alexandra Panova yielded the opening set to the Hong Kong combo of Eudice Chong/Cody Wong before they fought back to win in a third set super-tiebreak 3-6 6-0 [10-7].

CENTRE COURT (Sunday, Oct 15)

[Starting at 2:00 PM] - Ladies' Doubles Final

(3) O. Kalashnikova (GEO) / A. Sasnovich vs Tang Qinhui (CHN) / Tsao Chia Yi (TPE)

Doubles Final Trophy Ceremony

[Not Before 4:00 PM] - Ladies' Singles Final

L. Fernandez (CAN) vs K. Siniakova (CZE)

Singles Final Trophy Ceremony

*以上消息現時只提供英文版本

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