Hiroshima, Japan, 11 September 2019 | tennis.com.au

Priscilla Hon came close to notching a significant victory at the WTA tournament in Hiroshima, Japan before falling in three sets to Hsieh Su-Wei.

Hon led the top seed and world No.29 by a set and a break, and three times served for the match, before the wily veteran escaped with a 1-6 7-6(2) 7-5 victory.

Hsieh progresses to a quarterfinal meeting with local player Nao Hibino.

https://twitter.com/WTA/status/1171667264518664194

Hon played a flawless first set against a played ranked almost 100 places higher, belting 11 winners to three while keeping her unforced errors to just five in a 20-minute stanza.

She belted a forehand return winner to break serve immediately in the second set and quickly led 6-1 2-0, before Hsieh began to work her way back.

After breaking back, the Chinese Taipei player survived multiple break points in a lengthy fifth game to nudge ahead 3-2.

After a coaching timeout, Hon re-focused and won eight of the next 10 points to move ahead 6-1 4-3. After erasing a break point with an ace, she served up another ace to reach game point for a 5-3 lead, only to miss an overhead into the net.

Hon twice served for the set, at 5-4 and 6-5, but both times Hsieh escaped.

Hsieh went on to win the second set, yet the Aussie shrugged off that disappointment and again forged ahead, breaking Hsieh in the sixth and eighth games to build a 5-3 lead.

Yet the No.1 seed and defending champion would not be denied, reeling off the last four games of the match to win in two hours and 10 minutes.