Fourth seeds Hsieh Su-wei and Jelena Ostapenko stunned defending champions Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend 6-4, 7-5 in the women’s doubles semi-finals at Wimbledon on Friday, setting up a championship match against eighth seeds Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens at the All England Club.
The Taiwanese-Latvian pairing needed one hour and 41 minutes on No. 1 Court to defeat the world’s top-ranked doubles team. Hsieh, 39, is bidding for her fifth Wimbledon doubles title, whilst Ostapenko seeks her second Grand Slam doubles crown.
We played amazing tennis today and stuck together when it mattered,” Ostapenko said courtside after their victory. The 2017 French Open singles champion praised their teamwork throughout the match.
Early Momentum Shift Proves Crucial
Despite the top seeds taking an early 3-1 lead in the opening set, Hsieh and Ostapenko mounted a comeback that would set the tone for the entire match. The fourth seeds won five of the last six games to claim the first set.
Sources familiar with the match dynamics noted that Siniakova appeared increasingly frustrated as unforced errors crept into her game. The Czech player, who had won her first Grand Slam mixed doubles title just a day earlier, struggled to find her rhythm.
Hsieh and Ostapenko broke serve in the opening game of the second set and maintained their advantage throughout. They saved two crucial break points in the eighth game that would have levelled the set at 4-4.
That eighth game was the turning point,” said former doubles champion Rennae Stubbs, providing commentary for the BBC. “Hsieh’s experience at the net combined with Ostapenko’s power proved too much.”
Historical Significance for Hsieh
The victory marks another remarkable chapter in Hsieh’s storied Wimbledon career. The Taiwanese veteran has won four previous Wimbledon doubles titles – in 2013 with Peng Shuai, 2019 and 2023 with Barbora Strycova, and 2021 with Sunday’s final opponent Elise Mertens.
Should she triumph in the final, Hsieh would equal Martina Navratilova’s Open Era record of five Wimbledon women’s doubles titles won after turning 35. Industry experts describe her longevity as “unprecedented” in modern tennis.
Hsieh’s partnership with Ostapenko began at the start of 2025 following her successful reunion with Strycova in 2023. The duo claimed their first Grand Slam title together at the Australian Open in January, defeating Siniakova and Townsend in that final as well.
Champions Dethroned
For Siniakova and Townsend, the defeat ends their quest to retain the Wimbledon crown they captured in 2024. The Czech-American partnership had won their last 14 matches at Grand Slam level before Friday’s upset.
Siniakova, who holds 11 Grand Slam doubles titles, remains the world’s number one ranked doubles player. Officials confirmed she will retain that ranking regardless of Sunday’s final outcome, unless Ostapenko wins the title.
“We gave it our all, but they were the better team today,” Townsend acknowledged post-match. The American, who won her maiden Grand Slam title here last year, praised their opponents’ aggressive tactics.
The defeat came less than 24 hours after Siniakova’s mixed doubles triumph alongside Sem Verbeek. Sources close to the player’s camp suggested fatigue may have been a factor in the semi-final loss.
Final Preview
Sunday’s championship match presents an intriguing subplot – Hsieh and Mertens won the 2021 Wimbledon title together before going their separate ways. They also captured the 2024 Australian Open as a partnership.
Kudermetova and Mertens advanced to the final after defeating unseeded pair Desirae Krawczyk and Olivia Gadecki 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 in the first semi-final. The Russian-Belgian combination came from a set down to book their place in the championship match.
“It’s going to be special playing against Elise in the final,” Hsieh said. “We had great success together, and now we’ll see who comes out on top.”
Mertens, seeking her third Wimbledon doubles title, leads the head-to-head meetings between the two teams 2-1. However, Hsieh and Ostapenko won their most recent encounter at the Dubai Championships earlier this year.
Ranking Implications
The final carries significant ranking implications beyond Siniakova’s number one status. Ostapenko entered the tournament in contention for the top spot and will claim it with victory on Sunday.
WTA officials confirmed that Sara Errani, Jasmine Paolini, and Erin Routliffe were also mathematically in contention at the tournament’s start. However, their early exits eliminated them from consideration.
Tournament director Jamie Baker praised the quality of doubles tennis on display. “The depth in women’s doubles continues to grow, and matches like today’s semi-final showcase why doubles deserves equal billing,” he stated.
The Road Ahead
Hsieh and Ostapenko’s path to the final included victories over strong opposition. They defeated Oksana Kalashnikova and Elena Pridankina 6-2, 6-3 in the first round before overcoming Ekaterina Alexandrova and Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-0 in the round of 16.
Their quarter-final triumph over Sorana Cirstea and Anna Kalinskaya proved their most challenging test before the semi-final. The fourth seeds recovered from losing the first set on a tiebreak to win 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2.
Women’s tennis analyst Mary Carillo described their run as “a perfect blend of experience and power” during her television commentary. Industry observers note that their contrasting styles complement each other effectively.
The final is scheduled for Sunday on Centre Court, following the men’s singles championship match. Prize money for the champions stands at £650,000, with the runners-up receiving £350,000.
Both teams will have one day to prepare for what promises to be a compelling conclusion to the women’s doubles event. With four Wimbledon champions set to compete, experience will undoubtedly play a crucial role.
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Image Credit:
Jelena Ostapenko (2019) – Image by si.robi, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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