US Open Drama: Ostapenko & Hsieh Claim Deliberate Sabotage by Chan After Heated Match

When the US Open quarter‑finals in Flushing Meadows rolled around, most fans expected another high‑octane tennis display. Instead, a simmering feud boiled over, leaving the court – and the internet – buzzing with accusations.

Latvian firebrand Jelena Ostapenko, teamed up with Taiwan’s crafty doubles ace Hsieh Su‑wei, secured a straight‑sets win, 6‑4 / 6‑4, and moved into the next round. But the victory felt bittersweet. Both players claimed that their opponents, the 31‑year‑old Taiwanese doubles star Hao‑Ching Chan, was not just a competitor but a provocateur.

According to Ostapenko and Hsieh, Chan’s team had been "making disturbing comments" throughout the match, allegedly trying to rattle them from the sidelines. Hsieh even said the Chinese Taipei Tennis Association was giving Chan preferential treatment, which added fuel to the fire.

Things got personal after the final point. Chan, apparently still fuming, refused the customary post‑match handshake – not once, but three times, according to her own Instagram story. When Hsieh finally extended her hand, Chan simply walked away, later writing that she had "no respect for basic tennis etiquette" after repeated snubs.

But the drama didn’t stop at missed handshakes. Both Hsieh and Ostapenko accused Chan of physical interference. Hsieh recounted how, earlier in the day, Chan allegedly bumped into her with a tennis bag in a narrow hallway, a move Hsieh said she initially shrugged off. Later, Hsieh claimed that Chan deliberately knocked her chair in the players’ lounge, jolting her awake and depriving her of precious rest before the match.

Chan fired back, insisting she never struck anyone intentionally. She pointed out that it was Hsieh who had previously invited strangers to the China Open courtside to heckle her own team – a stunt that the WTA had to intervene in. "If you’re going to accuse my team of trash‑talk, make sure it actually came from them," Chan wrote, demanding proof before any accusations could stick.

Amid the back‑and‑forth, the two pairs also clashed over the behavior of the opponent’s coach. During a changeover, Ostapenko approached the chair umpire, alleging that the coach was clapping and shouting whenever she missed a shot. "It felt intentional, like they wanted to distract us," Ostapenko told the Daily Mail, admitting the incident rattled her but also lit a fire under her game.

In the end, Ostapenko’s team managed to keep their focus, channeling the annoyance into aggression. "I could die on court, but I’m not going to lose," the Latvian said, describing how the provocation actually sharpened her resolve.

The win now puts Ostapenko and Hsieh up against Elise Mertens and Diana Shnaider in the quarter‑finals. Whether the pair can leave the controversy behind and keep their eyes on the trophy remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the US Open just proved it’s as much a battle of wills as it is of rackets.