Australian Open 2018-  Liang clinches girls' title
Channel: Tey Yomiko
Date: 27/01/2018

Liang clinches girls' title

Second seed En Shuo Liang has taken out the girls’ singles at the Australian Open with a convincing 6-3 6-4 win over France’s Clara Burel in the final.

It was a breath of fresh air for Liang as she had been pushed to three sets in four of her five matches before the championship decider.

Liang said it was a dream come true and all her hard work had paid off since being introduced to the sport by her mother when she was just six.

“Like I'm still in a dream. Cannot believe it,” she said.

“I start playing tennis at six because I was playing piano before. My mom want me to have exercise, so she choose tennis for me.

“I give up the piano. I choose the tennis. I love tennis more than piano.”

The match began with the Frenchwoman breaking in the opening game before the Chinese Taipei rising star reciprocated immediately.

The No.2 seed would reel off four consecutive games as she cruised through to take the opening set.

It was all thanks to the 17-year-old’s aggression, as she hit 12 winners to four, making it difficult for Burel to settle into rallies and make inroads into the match.

The second set was almost a mirror image of the first, with the No.2 conceding her own serve early before winning the next three games and taking what looked to be the crucial break.

At 5-4 and serving for the match, Liang withstood a last-ditch fight from Burel, who was unable to convert on three break point opportunities in the final game. Errors crept in from the Frenchwoman and it allowed the No.2 seed to claim the straight sets win.

Liang’s left leg had been strapped for most of the tournament and despite a high level of match play in singles and doubles, the 17-year-old looked unhampered as she scampered to almost everything her opponent threw at her.

It was an emotional ceremony for the runner-up, as she held back tears while thanking her coaches’ box and family for their support.

The victorious Liang made a short speech acknowledging her support staff before sending a special message back home in her native language.

The title means that she holds a 12-0 record in 2018, after winning the junior event in Traralgon a week before the Australian Open began.

Liang's next goal is to perform strongly at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in October.

“After Melbourne, I'll go more junior because this year have the Youth Olympic Games, so I will try to get into the Youth Olympic Games,” she said.

“I’m excited about it.”


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