MELBOURNE -- It takes a lot to impress a shot-maker of Hsieh Su-Wei's caliber, but the 38-year-old former doubles No.1 has picked two partners who have been up to the task at the Australian Open.
On Friday, Hsieh picked up her seventh Grand Slam title after partnering with Poland's Jan Zielinski to win the Australian Open mixed doubles title. The duo saved a match point and came from a set and a break down to defeat Desirae Krawczyk and Neal Skupski 6-7(5), 6-4 [10-9].
Hsieh and Zielinski were a last-minute pairing after the Pole scanned the list of players looking for partners and zeroed in on Hsieh. He immediately proved himself worthy.
Earlier in the tournament he struck an incredible around-the-post winner that earned a standing ovation from the crowd:
In the final on Friday, Zielinski scrambled to track down a lob and struck a perfectly weighted tweener to keep the team in the point, which Hsieh eventually finished off. She celebrated by "raising the roof":
With her mixed doubles win, Hsieh now a reigning champion at three Grand Slams with three different partners. After returning to the tour last year, she won Roland Garros doubles with Wang Xinyu, Wimbledon doubles with Barbora Strycova, and now the Australian Open mixed. On Sunday she will have the chance to add a fourth, as she plays the doubles final with Elise Mertens.
"Last year I was in two finals, I was very chill," Hsieh said. "Probably the chillest player on the court. I was not even feel nervous on the court.
"But with mixed doubles, it was exciting and my partner is very good. I know he's very good from the baseline, at the net, and the serve. I just need to do my stuff to put the ball inside the court and pass the net person. This is my job, very clear. He's doing his job so I'm doing my job and we're doing good."
Hsieh has confirmed that the Australian Open was her last Grand Slam appearance in singles. She will still play singles draws where her special ranking earns her entry. Once her special ranking entries run out, she will cease singles play to protect her body for doubles, where she will continue to compete on the tour.
"If I play two matches in singles I feel okay, but after two matches I start to feel tight, tight on the muscle or something," Hsieh said. "So I don't want to affect the doubles, because I still think the doubles is really fun, and I have a great partner.
"I want to enjoy more in tennis, not to get injured and retire, out of the tournament. So I try to slow down and play less tournaments and try to manage the fitness. The body will be more healthy on the court, and play more fun tennis."
