FIRST EVER: Aliaksandra Sasnovich made it through to the finals after playing a 10-hour match, needing injury time-outs and strapping up to secure her semi-final place

Taipei Times
Date: Jan 06, 2018
By: Dave Carroll  /  Staff reporter, with AFP, BRISBANE, Australia

Taiwanese world No. 1 Latisha Chan’s bid for a first title of the season, and a first with new partner Andrea Sestini Hlavackova, was yesterday ended in a super tiebreak in the semi-finals of the doubles at the Brisbane International in Australia.

Top seeds Chan — who previously played on the WTA Tour using her Chinese name, Chan Yung-jan — and Sestini Hlavackova recovered from a set down to force a super tiebreak, but came up just short in a 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 11-9 loss to fourth seeds Andreja Klepac of Slovenia and Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in one hour, 55 minutes.

The Taiwanese-Czech duo, world No. 1 and No. 5 respectively, saved six of nine break points and converted five of 10, but it was not enough as the fourth seeds booked a spot in today’s final against Dutch duo Kiki Bertens and Demi Schuurs, who ousted second-seeded Australian pairing Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 10-8.
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