The women's doubles performances of Chinese athletes Zhang Shuai, Jiang Xinyu, and Gao Hanyui concluded in the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open on Thursday.
The pair of Zhang and Jiang lost to the American duo Eva Jovanovic and Katie McNaelly with a score of 7-6(8), 3-6, 10-6 after a tense three-set match. In the first set, neither pair could achieve a decisive advantage, which ended in a tie-break. Although Zhang and Jiang had chances to take the initiative, Jovanovic and McNaelly ultimately won 10-8 in the tie-break, taking the lead in one set.
The Chinese pair responded in the second set, achieving the necessary breakthrough and maintaining the advantage to win it 6-3, which led to another tie-break. However, Jovanovic and McNaelly managed to regain control in the deciding set. The Americans gained an early advantage and successfully repelled all attempts by their opponents to close the gap, winning the extra game 10-6 and securing their place in the semifinals. In the next match, they will face the Czech pair Marie Buzkova and Linda Noskova for a spot in the final.
Gao and Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic also exited the tournament, losing to Se Sch and Elena Ostapenko with a score of 6-3, 6-4. Se and Ostapenko won the first set 6-3, and then maintained their advantage in the second, more intense set. Gao and Mladenovic were unable to provoke a decisive tie-break, and their opponents finished the match with a score of 6-4.
The defeat in Cincinnati put an end to the winning streak of Gao and Mladenovic, which began after they won the women's doubles title at Wimbledon in July.