Defending champions Gabriela Dabrowksi and Erin Routliffe opened the 2025 WTA Finals in Riyadh in the same way they closed out last year’s competition, with a straight-sets win.
The Canadian-Kiwi team defeated No. 5 seeds Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider 6-3, 7-6(2) on Sunday. Dabrowski and Routliffe have not dropped a set at the year-end championships since their second group-stage match last season.
The No. 2 seeds didn’t face a single break point in the opening set, winning 86 per cent of their first-serve points. In the second, the duo faced the majority of the break points but saved three of four before a strong showing in the tiebreak.
Dabrowski’s net play gave her side an early advantage in the first set. In the opening game, at 15-30, the Ottawan put away a volley to hold double break point and, on the second try, a near identical play scored the break for the US Open champions.
Routliffe served well in the ensuing game to bring the lead to 2-0 and from there, the second seeds lost just three points over their next three service games.
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A break would wrap up the opener for Dabrowski and Routliffe and, at 3-5, love-40, the team was in a great spot to do so. Andreeva and Shnaider saved two but the Canadian eventually finished off the set in the same manner she started it, with a brilliant touch at the net.
In the second, Andreeva and Shnaider responded with some significant pressure. The fifth seeds broke in the third game then held two break points at 3-1 that Dabrowski and Routliffe were able to save.
At 3-5, the defending champions turned the set around, breaking Andreeva and Shnaider in a vital tenth game to crawl back level. After a hold, the Canadian-Kiwi duo led 6-5.
The No. 5 seeds secured a crucial hold to force a tiebreak, where Dabrowski and Routliffe pulled away early. The No. 2 seeds got the mini-break to go 2-0 in front then won three of the next five points to have the chance to serve out the match at 5-2.
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Dabrowski forced a pair of errors out of Andreeva and Shnaider as the two-time major champions wrapped up the contest in under an hour and a half, returning to the court on Tuesday for their second round-robin match.
Feature Photo: Martin Sidorjak
