Ottawa’s tennis player Gabriela Dabrowski secured her first WTA doubles championship since teaming up again with Brazil’s Luisa Stefani. The fifth-seeded duo triumphed over the unseeded pair of Germany’s Laura Siegemund and Russia’s Vera Zvonareva with a score of 6-1, 6-3 in the final match at the WTA 1000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday.
The competition lasted one hour and 13 minutes, during which Dabrowski and Stefani claimed victory in 59.3% of total points. They capitalized on their sole break-point opportunity and successfully defended against two break points from their opponents.
This win marks their second WTA 1000 title together and their first in a span of four years. Their previous victories include the National Bank Open in Montreal in 2021 and a WTA 250 event in Chennai, India, in 2022.
The partnership between Dabrowski and Stefani initially began in 2020 but was interrupted when Stefani sustained a severe knee injury during the 2021 U.S. Open. They rejoined forces this season following Dabrowski’s split from New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe after a successful 2 ½-year collaboration that yielded multiple titles, including two U.S. Open women’s doubles championships.
Dubai marks the sixth WTA 1000 doubles title for Dabrowski and the fourth for Stefani. This achievement will propel the 33-year-old Dabrowski to a career-best world No. 2 ranking in the WTA Rankings on Monday, trailing behind Elise Mertens of Belgium.
Reflecting on her accomplishment, Dabrowski emphasized the significance of sustaining strong partnerships and consistent tournament performances over rankings. The final match in Dubai lacked the suspense of earlier rounds, where Dabrowski and Stefani faced tough challenges and narrow victories on their path to the championship.
Stefani expressed her delight at clinching their first title at a WTA 1000 event in Dubai, highlighting the rarity and significance of such a win. Dabrowski dedicated the victory to the father of a close friend who is currently battling cancer, further underscoring the emotional depth of their triumph.
