Hsieh, Strycova first team to qualify for 2019 Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen

ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA -- The WTA announced today that the doubles team of Hsieh Su-Wei and Barbora Strycova has qualified for the 2019 Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen.

The pair becomes the first of eight doubles teams to compete at the inaugural staging of the year-end event to be held in Shenzhen, China from October 27 through November 3 for a record-breaking 14 million dollars in prize money.

Read more: 'I was not afraid to be scared' - World No.1 Strycova reflects on whirlwind summer at US Open

Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh and Czech Republic’s Strycova will make their debut appearance as a team at the Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen after claiming four WTA doubles titles this season, highlighted by their maiden Grand Slam together at Wimbledon.

As the No.3 seeds at Wimbledon, the pair defeated the top-seeded team of Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic before dispatching Gabriela Dabrowski and Xu Yifan in the championship match.

In addition, Hsieh and Strycova picked up a WTA Premier Mandatory title at the Mutua Madrid Open, along with Premier titles at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and the Nature Valley Classic in Birmingham, Great Britain.

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“We are excited to qualify for our first WTA Finals together after such a great season,” said Hsieh.

Strycova added, “It feels great to be one of the top doubles teams of the year, and we look forward to some high-quality matches in Shenzhen.”

By lifting the title at the All England Club, Strycova ascended to WTA Doubles World No.1 for the first time in her career and has held onto the top ranking for a total of eight weeks.

GALLERY: Doubles delight: Barbora Strycova's journey to World No.1

Former WTA Doubles World No.1 Hsieh will be appearing in her third WTA Finals as a former champion, having lifted the WTA Finals Martina Navratilova Trophy in 2013 partnering with Peng Shuai. Hsieh and Peng returned to the year-end finale in 2014, falling to Cara Black and Sania Mirza in the championship match.

Strycova will make her second consecutive appearance at the WTA Finals, having reached the semifinal stage last year alongside her compatriot Andrea Sestini Hlavackova.

The 2019 Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen features the world’s best players vying for a record-breaking US$14 million in prize money and two of the most prestigious titles in women’s tennis.

The Top 8 singles players and doubles teams on the Porsche Race to Shenzhen – which includes 53 WTA tournaments and four Grand Slams – will compete in a round-robin format with the singles champion taking home the Billie Jean King Trophy and the doubles champions lifting the WTA Finals Martina Navratilova Trophy.

The winner of the Porsche Race to Shenzhen - the player who finishes in pole position leading into the WTA Finals - will not only seal a spot at the season-ending showpiece, but also be congratulated with a new Porsche. The Porsche Race to Shenzhen Leaderboard is updated each Monday (every two weeks during Grand Slams events) and can be found at www.ShiseidoWTAFinalsShenzhen.com.

Tickets to the Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen are on sale at www.ShiseidoWTAFinalsShenzhen.com.