Dabrowski could make tennis history Saturday as 1st Canadian to win WTA Finals title | CBC Sports

Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot. Dabrowski and Routliffe wrapped up the match in one hour 32 minutes.

“I had a little bit of a slow start and Erin started really well,” Dabrowski said. “But she stood by me, and that enabled me to still have the freedom as the match went on to go for my shots and my serves and my plays. That helped me stay very present.

“Some of it is confidence, some of it is communication, but overall just a strong partnership was the key.”

WATCH | Dabrowski, Routliffe take semifinal in straight sets at WTA Finals:

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

“We always try to bring the best out of each other,” said Routliffe, a dual citizen who was born in New Zealand and grew up in Caledon, Ont. “We always try to smile and have fun, even when it’s not going out way. It’s so important in doubles. If anyone’s playing doubles, make sure you support your partners.”

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend in the final on Saturday. It’s a rematch of this year’s Wimbledon final, which the Czech and American team won 7-6 (5), 7-6 (1).

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

“[I’ve] been in the WTA Finals a bunch of times, but semifinals was my best result with Erin last year in Cancun,” said the 32-year-old Dabrowski, who is competing in the end-of-year doubles tournament for the sixth time. “So to go one round further is super exciting. In the later part of my career as well, it’s really special. To do it together, with the vibe we’ve got, is really amazing.”

Gauff upsets Sabalenka in women’s semis

Coco Gauff defeated top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 7-6 (4), 6-3 and set up a showdown with Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in the final of the WTA Finals on Friday.

Gauff generated six break points to Sabalenka’s four and built on early momentum in the opening set’s tiebreak she carried through to the second set.

She’s the youngest player at 20 to make the final at the WTA Finals since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010.

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 one hour 40 minutes.

Shapovalov dominant in Serbia

Canadian Denis Shapovalov advanced to the final of the Belgrade Open with a dominant 6-2, 6-1 win over Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic.

Shapovalov delivered a dominant serving performance in the semifinal, winning 96 per cent of his first-serve points in Serbia.

The 25-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., also capitalized on 4 of 11 break-point opportunities, while Lehecka failed to earn any break points during the match.

Shapovalov, ranked 78th in the world, will face No. 156 Hamad Medjedovic of Serbia in Saturday’s final.

Both players entered the ATP 250 tournament unseeded.

It will be Shapovalov’s seventh career singles final, with his only title coming at the Stockholm Open in 2019.

WATCH | Shapovalov breezes to semifinal win at Belgrade Open:

Denis Shapovalov into the final at the Belgrade Open

Denis Shapovalov, of Richmond Hill, Ont., defeats the Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka in straight sets (6-2,6-1) to get into his first final in over two years. It was Shapovalov’s sixth straight win of this tournament.