Mason, Ohio — Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand captured the Cincinnati Open women’s doubles crown Sunday night, defeating Guo Hanyo of China and Alexandra Panova of Russia in straight sets on the P&G Center Court.
Seeded second, Dabrowski and Routliffe prevailed 6-4, 6-3 in 1 hour, 20 minutes. The pair rode strong serving and aggressive returning to that win, improving in key categories: five aces to one for the opponents, 22 winners to 19, first-serve points won at 71% versus 63%, and return games won at 33% compared with 11% for the other team. The winners also claimed three consecutive games at one stretch, while Hanyo and Panova had 17 unforced errors and a single double fault.
Hanyo and Panova reached the final with a 6-3, 6-2 upset of top-seeded Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in the semifinals on Saturday. Dabrowski and Routliffe had advanced by outlasting sixth-seeded Ellen Perez and Lyudmyla Kichenok 3-6, 6-3, 12-10 in a dramatic semifinal earlier in the week.
Routliffe’s Cincinnati journey continues a success story in doubles: she won the tournament last year with Asia Muhammad. Dabrowski and Routliffe have strong chemistry, having also teamed to win the U.S. Open doubles title together in 2023, and this title adds another big result to their growing partnership.
Commentary and context:
– The victory reinforces Dabrowski and Routliffe’s status as one of the top doubles teams on the tour, particularly on hard courts where their serving accuracy and return pressure can tilt tight matches.
– Dabrowski’s and Routliffe’s ability to convert return opportunities and sustain pressure on serve was a clear differentiator in the final.
– The win provides momentum going into the rest of the hard-court season and the lead-up to the US Open, where they’ll be considered among the favorites in doubles.
Summary: Dabrowski and Routliffe continued their strong partnership with a decisive Cincinnati title, leveraging elite serving, aggressive returns, and clutch pressure in semifinal and final rounds. Their proven track record, including a 2023 US Open title and Routliffe’s 2024 Cincinnati triumph, positions them as a formidable duo for the coming months. Positive takeaway: their chemistry and rhythm appear to be peaking at the right time, offering fans the prospect of continued success on the WTA doubles circuit.