Dabrowski and Routliffe open WTA Finals with straight sets win

Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe kicked off their WTA Finals campaign in winning fashion, defeating Chan Hao-ching and Veronica Kudermetova 7-6(6), 6-4 in Riyadh on Sunday.

The second seeded duo won 93 percent of their first serve points and converted three of five break point chances in the one-hour and 55-minute victory.

The Canadian-Kiwi team, who are back in the end-of-season event for a second consecutive year, initially recovered from a slow start in the opening set. Kudermetova and Chan, the seventh seeds, opened play with a break of serve, and quickly built up an early 3-1 lead in the round robin match.

After a routine service hold made it 3-4, the second seeds finally created pressure on return. They converted on their third break point opportunity of the game as Routliffe hit an overhead winner to level the set at 4-all.  

Under threat, Chan and Kudermetova saved two set points at 5-6 to hold serve, sending the opener into a tiebreak. Trailing 5-6 in the tiebreak, Routliffe avoided injury after a slip and fall, falling flat on her back in the midst of a set point save.  Serving at 6-7 in the tiebreak, Chan finally sent a forehand long, as Dabrowski and Routliffe seized the opening set 7-6(6) in 63 minutes. Routliffe sought a medical timeout after the set, but was fortunately okay.

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The second seeds continued to impose their dominant net skills in the second set and broke serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. While Chan and Kudermetova responded with a break of their own, the 2023 US Open winners reclaimed the advantage, and Routliffe held for a pivotal 5-3 edge.

Dabrowski, a native of Ottawa, closed matters out on her serve, hitting a drop shot volley winner on match point to secure the victory.

Dabrowski and Routliffe, who reached the semifinals of the event last year, are now 1-0 in round-robin play, leading the White Group. They’ll face Italians Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani on Tuesday.