Gabriela Dabrowski-Erin Routliffe pair reach Miami Open women's doubles final
Mar 30, 2024
Miami [US], March 30 : The No.2 seeded Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe scripted a fine comeback to defeat Asia Muhammad and Alycia Parks 6-7(4), 6-4, 10-4 and clinch a place in the Miami Open women's doubles final.
The reigning US Open champions made it into their first WTA Tour final of the season. Dabrowski and Routliffe will face Americans Sofia Kenin and Bethanie Mattek-Sands for the title on Sunday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe are in their fourth-team final, looking to win their third-team title.
The American duo pushed their aggressive power game through a close first set before Dabrowski and Routliffe took command of the contest in the second. Muhammad and Parks held a set point and a 5-2 lead, but Dabrowski and Routliffe increased their aggressive net play and exploited their experience to neutralise their opponents, winning four straight games and forcing a tiebreak. Dabrowski and Routliffe used their momentum to secure the victory.
Dabrowski and Routliffe's finest results this season before Miami were semifinal appearances at the Australian Open and Dubai. In Miami, they beat Guo Hanyu and Ukrikke Eikeri, Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi, Ashlyn Krueger and Sloane Stephens, and Muhammad and Parks en route to the final.
In Miami, Muhammad and Parks paired up for the second time this year and staged a remarkable run to the semifinals, with each of their four matches ending in a tiebreak. The combination defeated No.6 seeds Beatriz Haddad Maia and Taylor Townsend in the first round, followed by Shuko Aoyama and Aleksandra Krunic and Ahnelina Kalinina and Dayana Yastremska.
Meanwhile, The unseeded Americans Kenin and Mattek-Sands rallied to overcome Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini 6-7(2), 6-4 [10-4] in the second quarterfinal. Mattek-Sands suffered a left foot injury early in the first set, but the American duo rallied to secure the victory.
