Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani were off to a perfect start in WTA Finals Group 1 action as the top seeds defeated Elise Mertens and Shuai Zhang 6-3, 7-6(5) in Indian Wells on Monday.
Dabrowski and Stefani were flawless on deciding point, winning all four on the night with one leading to an early break in the first set. The Canadian-Brazilian pair were broken just twice on seven attempts, losing serve when looking to close out the match at 5-4 in the second, but a strong display in the later half of the eventual tiebreaker led the duo across the finish line.
The win was Dabrowski and Stefani’s first as a team at the WTA Finals. The two met in last year’s group stage, when the Brazilian came out on top.
Dabrowski and Stefani had a solid start to their round-robin campaign. The Wuhan champions broke at sudden-death deuce in their opening return game, then held on the third try from 2-0, 40-love, to back up the loss of serve.
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Mertens and Zhang held their first break point at 3-1, 40-all, but the deciding point went the way of Dabrowski and Stefani as the Canadian confidently put away her overhead. The Belgian-Chinese duo did break shortly after thanks to Mertens’ return winner at 4-2, 30-40; however, Dabrowski and Stefani immediately broke back and got the chance to serve out the opening set at 5-3.
The Ottawa-native remained perfect behind her delivery and sealed the first with her third-straight hold.
Dabrowski had her first significant test on serve in the sixth game of the second, though. The Canadian-Brazilian team looked to cruise from 2-3, 30-love, but Mertens and Zhang battled back to gain double break point at 30-40. Unfazed, Stefani helped fend off the first opportunity, before Dabrowski’s delivery was left unreturned as the set stayed even at 3-3.
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Much like the first, Dabrowski and Stefani broke late, converting on their first attempt at 4-4, 15-40, to allow the Canadian to serve for the match. However, on this occasion, the world No. 3 couldn’t wrap things up as a double fault at 5-4, 30-40, ended up extending the contest.
Stefani got her side back on track with a hold to love in the 12th game, sending the set to a tiebreaker. Mertens and Zhang’s early mini-break didn’t keep them in front too long as a deft touch from Dabrowski brought the top seeds back on level terms at 2-2. After both teams went into the changeover tied at three apiece, Dabrowski and Stefani came out the most refreshed, winning three of the next four points to hold match point at 6-4.
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The pair couldn’t close out the contest on serve but, on the second match point, a Zhang double fault handed the Canadian-Brazilian duo the win on the opening day of Group 1.
Dabrowski and Stefani have won 17 of their last 18 matches, with their next contest at the WTA Finals coming on Wednesday.
Feature Photo: Jimmie48 Tennis Photography
