The Taipei Open women’s singles final: three games, two generations
The four points after 18–18 in the third are where the match actually turned.
The final ran 78 minutes over three games. They split the first two, and the third was level at 18–18 before it broke.
All four decisive points followed the same shape: a long rally into a scramble at the net. Past the 25th shot the younger player’s error rate climbed noticeably, and she lost three of the four.
Fitness is not the whole answer
The post-match data has them covering almost identical distance, but their average contact point in long rallies differed by around 15 centimetres. The more experienced player stood further forward and forced the lift.
This is the thing most discussed about Taiwanese women’s singles right now: the new generation has the speed and the power, and what is missing is shot selection deep into rallies.
{"q":"In the third I knew I had to slow it down, and then I was the one who got impatient.","by":"The runner-up, post-match"}
Next stop is the Japan Open next month. Both are on the entry list, and the draw comes out Wednesday.
