Gabriela Dabrowski from Ottawa and Erin Routliffe from New Zealand emerged victorious in the women’s doubles final at the Cincinnati Open by defeating Guo Hanyo from China and Alexandra Panova from Russia in straight sets on Sunday evening. The second-seeded pair of Dabrowski and Routliffe, who previously clinched the U.S. Open women’s doubles title in 2023, secured their sixth joint title with a 6-4, 6-3 win against the unseeded duo of Hanyo and Panova at the WTA 1000 event held on P&G Center Court.
Dabrowski and Routliffe showcased dominance in various crucial statistics, including aces (5-1), winners (22-19), first serve points (71% to 63%), return games won (33% to 11%), and maximum consecutive games won (3-1). On the other hand, Hanyo and Panova committed 17 unforced errors and one double fault during the match.
In a post-match interview, Dabrowski expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete and praised her partner, Routliffe, for their successful journey together. She acknowledged the challenges they faced but highlighted the significance of sharing the trophy with a supportive partner and friend.
Hanyo and Panova secured their spot in the final by upsetting the top-seeded Italian pair of Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini with a 6-3, 6-2 victory in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Dabrowski and Routliffe overcame a tough challenge from the sixth-seeded duo of Ellen Perez from Australia and Lyudmyla Kichenok from Ukraine in a thrilling 3-6, 6-3, 12-10 match during the semifinals.
Notably, Routliffe had previously won the women’s doubles title in Cincinnati last year while partnering with American player Asia Muhammad.