Hong Kong Tennis Open: Taiwanese-mainland Chinese duo Tsao and Tang lift doubles title in Victoria Park

Tsao Chia-yi was supposed to spend the week on holiday. But she still ended up in paradise after lifting the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open doubles title in dramatic fashion on Sunday.

The 19-year-old Taiwanese – ranked No 352 in the world in doubles – and mainland Chinese partner Tang Qianhui won 7-5, 1-6, 11-9, saving three match points against Oksana Kalashnikova and Aliaksandra Sasnovich in Victoria Park.

Tsao said on Saturday night she had “no idea” she was even going to play in Hong Kong this week, and had been planning a break until her mother called and told her she was in the draw as a wild card, after another team dropped out – a feeling she admitted was “surreal”.

“I had already played three or four weeks in a row, so our plan was to go back to have a rest and have a holiday first,” Tsao told the Post after the match.

“I planned to come to a few places in Taipei with my sister but suddenly my mum told me, so I had to go back to the court agin to be ready. Now I will go on holiday next week for sure.”

Tsao admitted winning her first WTA title was the best moment of my career – and has given her a taste for silverware.