At the Taipei Open Badminton Championships, Peishan Hsieh and En-Tzu Hung set a new 17-year record as Taiwanese players make a comeback in the women's doubles final.

On May 10, 2025, at the Taipei Open, Taiwan's women's doubles team, Hsieh Pei-Shan and Hung En-Tzu, defeated the Japanese pair Rui Hirokami and Ayaka Hohara in two straight sets in the semifinals, becoming the first local players to reach the women's doubles final since 2008. They advanced to the final as the world No. 13 and top-seeded team, noting that breakthroughs in mindset and communication were crucial to their success.

17 Years of Waiting: Host Nation Women's Doubles Reach Finals Again

Since the Taipei Open in 2008, Taiwan's women's doubles had not reached the finals. Back then, the "Golden Duo" of Chien Yu-chin and Cheng Wen-hsing achieved a two-time championship, marking a peak in Taiwan's badminton history. Seventeen years later, Hsieh Pei-shan and Hung En-tzu finally broke this record, allowing the local audience to witness Taiwan's women's doubles competing for the championship once again.

In the semifinals on May 10, Hsieh Pei-shan and Hung En-tzu defeated the Japanese up-and-coming pair Rui Hirokami and Ayaka Horiguchi with scores of 21-13, 21-15, in a match that lasted only 40 minutes. After a 7-7 tie in the first game, they launched a 9-2 run to quickly widen the gap. In the second game, they gradually extended their lead after a 5-5 tie, scoring five consecutive points at 12-9 to secure their victory, demonstrating absolute control on the court.

A Year of Partnership: From First-Round Exit to Finals Stage

Hsieh Pei-shan and Hung En-tzu began their partnership in May 2024. Last year, they were eliminated in the first round of the Taipei Open. However, within just a year, their world ranking climbed from 30th to 13th, and they entered this year's tournament as the number one seeds, showcasing an impressive growth trajectory.

This partnership has also consistently achieved excellent results on the international stage: they were runners-up at the Super 300 Macau Open in September 2024, won their first title at the Super 100 Indonesia Masters in November, and reached the semifinals at the Super 500 Canada Open in 2025, gradually establishing themselves as Taiwan's top women's doubles team.

Mental Approach and Communication: Keys to Breakthrough Performance

Reflecting on their transformation over the past year, both players unanimously pointed out that "mental approach" and "communication" were the biggest breakthroughs. Hung En-tzu admitted, "In the past, I would panic and get nervous when the score was close. Now, we just say what we see, and whoever notices a problem speaks up." Hsieh Pei-shan added, "We didn't talk much before, but now we encourage each other, even if it means having intense discussions."

This change is evident not only in their matches but also in their consistent performance. From collapsing under close scores to now performing steadily under home pressure, they have shown mature psychological resilience and teamwork.

Home Advantage Atmosphere: Inspiring Best Performance

Playing amidst the cheers of a full house at the Taipei Arena was a rare experience for the two players. Hung En-tzu laughed, "Seeing so many fans, it feels great, really like a home game, extremely happy!" Hsieh Pei-shan said, "I was a bit tense at first, but with my teammate's encouragement on the court, it got much better."

Both players hail from Kaohsiung High School and were taught by Chien Yu-chin, who won the championship in 2008. Competing in the same venue and event to bring glory to Taiwan's women's doubles again is highly significant. They stated that although they are aware of the historical significance of this match, they approach it with a calm mindset, "Focusing on one match at a time, not thinking too much about winning or losing, just going all out."

Match Data and Technical Display

In the semifinals, the "Hsieh-Hung Pair" demonstrated high control on the court. They reversed a 4-5 deficit in the first game by scoring three consecutive points and allowed their opponents to tie only twice throughout the game. In the second game, they launched a 5-0 run at 12-9, completely dominating their opponents. Throughout the match, their serving and receiving were stable, their net play decisive, and their backcourt attacks penetrating, successfully disrupting their opponents' rhythm.