May/22
13
Su-Wei Hsieh Returns After Six Months Hiatus
14 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios
Former WTA world no. 1 in doubles Su-Wei Hsieh will make her return to the tour at Roland Garros in the doubles. Hsieh has not played a match since the Akon WTA doubles finals event in Guadalajara in November 2021 where she and partner Elise Mertens lost in the final to Barbora Krejcikova and Katarina Siniakova.
Due to the inactivity, the 36 year old Hsieh’s singles ranking has fallen to 280 but her doubles ranking is still live at no. 6.
In her career, Hsieh has won ten doubles titles (two at Wimledon and one at Roland Garros) and three singles titles and over $10m in prize money. Her best singles ranking was no. 23.
Roland Garros · Su-wei Hsieh · Wimbledon · WTA · Yonex
catherine · May 14, 2022 at 2:44 am
Saw a Youtube clip of Hsieh with her boyfriend in France just last week – she seemed in good shape. Gossip comment said she was pregnant but she didn’t look pregnant to me. Maybe she’s just sticking to doubles now.
(Johanna Konta is pregnant. Married in Dec I think.)
Seems the WTA tour is reshaping itself, with Swiatek dominating and older players retiring. Kerber and her generation will all be gone this year.
Scoop – do you think Naomi’s splitting from IMG to start her own outfit will start a trend ? When will she have time to play tennis ?
Scoop Malinowski · May 14, 2022 at 6:35 am
Catherine, might be more poor advice from handlers to Osaka, convincing her value is greater than it is. Osaka is yesterday’s news, the reality is most tennis fans I know cant stand her and her political activism anymore. Just a matter of time before her sponsors learn that.
catherine · May 14, 2022 at 6:58 am
For me it’s not Naomi’s ‘political’ activism that puts me off – it’s her ‘ME’ activism. I know sports people and performers generally are usually pretty self-centred but Osaka really takes the biscuit.
Scoop Malinowski · May 14, 2022 at 6:00 pm
Catherine, Osaka is likeable and a wonderful player, her activism was the bond breaker. Also the hypocrisy of portraying herself as BLM but she has zero blacks on her team. She cries about unfair media but she never seems to turn down a magazine cover story interview. Like to see her regain that adorable quality and innocence she had before all the politics. But that won’t be easy because she burned a lot of bridges with fans. As I said, several of all races and genders have told me, “I used to love/like her, now I can’t stand her.”
Scoop Malinowski · May 16, 2022 at 8:18 pm
Catherine, Osaka dumped IMG after IMG earned her over $50m in endorsment deals. Some gratitude. Wouldn’t be surprised if the corporations decide to shun Osaka from this point on, out of loyalty to IMG. This will increase the pressure on Osaka to have to win.
catherine · May 18, 2022 at 7:10 am
Actually I sometimes wonder if these agent/player relationships are more a hindrance than a help, particularly to young players and those who aren’t particularly savvy about financial matters.
It’s just extra pressure.
Osaka’s now got enough money to last her for the rest of her life so I’m looking to see her competing freely over the next few months. If she wins corporations will want to back her, in Japan and the US, IMG or no. Her visibility is established.
Scoop Malinowski · May 18, 2022 at 8:10 am
Catherine, but the problem with Osaka is she is not liked anymore generally by tennis fans, yes they are ramrodding her down everyone’s throats because the corporates prefer diverse non white ethnicity now but she blew it with the political activism which repulsed many people I know. We’ll see if all her sponsors and investors get the return they seek. It’s a shame Sofia Kenin was completely ignored by the corporate establishment, she won a Grand Slam and finaled in another.
catherine · May 18, 2022 at 9:11 am
It’s a puzzle about Kenin – I can’t work out what happened to her. Whether ultimately she just wasn’t good enough or there were coaching and/or family problems which derailed her. Maybe injury ?
Swiatek has raised the bar for elite players. I also get the feeling that the endorsement/business side doesn’t bother her at all. Her activities seem pretty organised and focussed.
Scoop Malinowski · May 18, 2022 at 9:58 am
Catherine, the establishment totally snubbed and ignored Kenin. It may even be anti white bias agenda. It’s unfortunate and sad this girl who dedicated her life to tennis and against all odds became a Grand Slam champion and top 5 player and the establishment totally rejected her, made no investment in her, did nothing to promote her as a star. Meanwhile Osaka Leylah and Emma fill their pockets seemingly every week with more sponsors and maybe even overexposure. I think it had a damaging effect on Kenin’s mental health, self confidence, and game. Hopefully it will make her tougher and she will bounce back with a vengeance and chip on her shoulder.
catherine · May 18, 2022 at 11:17 am
Scoop – in Britain Emma is seen as ‘white’, as if that matters, and she’s not currently filling her pockets with anything as she’s not winning or getting public attention. Which is probably a good thing. The amount of spite and unpleasantness Emma attracts online is amazing. Articles about her in the media here have to be premoderated or closed for comment. Wouldn’t blame her if she just chucked in the towel.
My views on Kenin are based simply on the times I’ve seen her in action – she’s a good player, Top 10, but seemed to lack aggression and variety. It would be good to see her fulfil her promise.
In the end you’ve got to leave it on the court. Whoever you are and wherever you come from.
catherine · May 18, 2022 at 11:25 am
Re my previous post here’s a relevant piece abóut Emma.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/may/06/let-the-summer-of-emma-raducanu-commence-and-the-hate-will-surely-follow-tennis-wimbledon
Scoop Malinowski · May 18, 2022 at 1:12 pm
Catherine, by hate for Emma, are you referring to the tennis “fans” who ridicule her for frequently losing and all her injuries or supposed injury excuses? I’m not following her too closely lately, just know that her results have been ordinary but her sponsor deals keep adding up. But I think she deserves it, she produced the all time Grand Slam upset win, a total young unknown just burst on the scene and won ten straight Grand Slam matches in straight sets to win the US Open. If she never wins another tournament, that one moment of glory exceeds anything Gasquet, Ferrer, Lopez, Rublev, Tsitsipas, Isner, Fritz, Todd Martin, Mardy Fish, Patrick McEnroe, Brad Gilbert, Tomas Berdych, Coco Gauff, Chanda Rubin, Mary Joe Fernandez, Elina Svitolina ever did.
catherine · May 18, 2022 at 2:41 pm
Yes – those keyboard tennis champions who think they know more than Emma does about the game. The Guardian article is trying to unravel some of that. I’m baffled – no idea why anyone would feel such antagonism. Envy ? Jealousy ? One of her sponsors, Vodafone, is about growing the game in Britain. Surely a good thing.
Just to finish this subject – here’s a good piece from the BBC. Some background I didn’t know. Might not load. BBC Sport today.
https://disq.us/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fsport%2Ftennis%2F61464603%3AXLoLg33Y8lVxAbLKZfQcM6D2CZ4&cuid=5857804
Scoop Malinowski · May 18, 2022 at 9:09 pm
Catherine, Emma is the best thing to happen to the WTA in a long long time. She gives hope and inspiration to everybody who feels like a longshot underdog. Anybody who tries to discredit or criticize her is simply making a horse’s ass of themself.