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

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.

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.

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.