Asian Games Tennis Women's Doubles: Zhan Haoqing/Wu Fangxian narrowly defeated the top seeds and entered the semi-finals

Tennis women's doubles team Wu Fangxian/Zhan Haoqing. (Photo by special correspondent Chen Zhiqu)

Taiwanese women's doubles pair Zhan Haoqing/Wu Fangxian competed in the top 8 of the Asian Games in Nagoya today. They overturned the top seeds, Chinese pair Zhang Shuai/Guo Hanyu, 7:6 (7:2), 3:6, 15:13, and entered the top four. They are sure to have a medal. After winning this difficult battle, Zhan Haoqing and Wu Fangxian could not hide their emotions and shed tears after the game. Zhang Shuai, who was being interviewed on the side, also cheered them on and shouted, "It's just the beginning! Sisters, come on!"

Zhan Haoqing and Wu Fangxian teamed up to attack in the Asian Games this time. In the previous round, they swept the Philippines' Tennielle Madis/Stefi Aludo and successfully entered the top 8. Today they will face off against Zhang Shuai, ranked 7th in the world, and Guo Hanyu, ranked 16th. It is expected to be a tough battle, and the two teams did fight fiercely all the way to the final tiebreaker to decide the winner.

Zhan Haoqing and Wu Fangxian were a little emotional after today's game. Zhan Haoqing choked up and said that she really hopes to win a medal for Taiwan. She also mentioned, "I am really happy about today's victory. Thank you Fangxian for working together until the end. I think the national team must be united so that we can achieve better results."

Zhang Shuai was interviewed by the Chinese media at the other end of the mixed interview area after the game. She saw Zhan Haoqing getting emotional and crying. She applauded Zhan Haoqing and asked, "Why are you so excited?" Zhan Haoqing also burst into tears and said with a smile, "It's not easy to beat you." Zhang Shuai also responded generously, "I'm laughing now! Why are you two like this? It's just begun! Sisters, come on!"

After Zhan Haoqing advances to the top four, she will meet Hong Kong's Wang Kangyi/Zhang Weihuan; on the other side of the women's doubles top four draw, Hsieh Su-wei/Liang Enshuo will meet Kazakhstan's Anna Danilina and Yulia Putintseva. If both groups of Taiwanese women's doubles can pass, they will meet in the gold medal match.