Dabrowski becomes 1st Canadian to win WTA Finals title, securing doubles triumph with Routliffe


Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski made more Canadian tennis history on Saturday.

Dabrowski and doubles partner Erin Routliffe of New Zealand secured the WTA Finals title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia after defeating Czech Katerina Siniakova and American Taylor Townsend 7-5, 6-3.

The 32-year-old Dabrowski became the first Canadian to win a title at the WTA Finals, which are reserved for the top eight doubles teams and top eight singles players in the world.

She and Routliffe have already earned a combined $605,000 US — $170K for participating, $70K for each of their three group-stage wins and $255K for their semifinal victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez. They now add another $520,000 for winning the final, amounting to a total of $1.125 million.

WATCH l Dabrowski, partner Routliffe winners at WTA Finals:

Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski claims WTA Finals doubles title

Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski became the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title, when she and her doubles partner Erin Routliffe of New Zealand beat Czech Katerina Siniakova and American Taylor Townsend 7-5, 6-3 in the doubles final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

When Dabrowski and Routliffe won the U.S. Open in 2023, they got $700,000.

Dabrowski’s list of accomplishments includes the mixed doubles bronze medal in the Paris 2024 Olympics alongside Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal and the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup team tournament with Canada.

She has won three of the four majors after conquering the French Open mixed doubles title in 2017, the Australian Open in mixed doubles honour in 2018 and the aforementioned U.S. Open women’s doubles title last year.

Gauff upsets Sabalenka in singles semifinal

Coco Gauff defeated top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (4), 6-3 Friday and set up a showdown with Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the final of the WTA Finals.

Gauff generated six break points to Sabalenka’s four and built on early momentum in the opening set’s tiebreak that she carried through to the second set.

She’s the youngest player at 20 to make the final at the WTA Finals since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010.

Zheng earlier defeated Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 7-5 to book her place in Saturday’s final.

Zheng continued her remarkable season by reaching the decider in her first appearance. The Chinese player has won 31 of her 36 matches since Wimbledon, more than anyone else on the tour.

Zheng struck nine aces as she defeated a tired-looking Krejcikova in 1 hour, 40 minutes.



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