Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe kicked off their WTA Finals marketing campaign in profitable style, defeating Chan Hao-ching and Veronica Kudermetova 7-6(6), 6-4 in Riyadh on Sunday.
The second seeded duo gained 93 p.c of their first serve factors and transformed three of 5 break level probabilities within the one-hour and 55-minute victory.
The Canadian-Kiwi group, who’re again within the end-of-season occasion for a second consecutive yr, initially recovered from a gradual begin within the opening set. Kudermetova and Chan, the seventh seeds, opened play with a break of serve, and rapidly constructed up an early 3-1 lead within the spherical robin match.
After a routine service maintain made it 3-4, the second seeds lastly created strain on return. They transformed on their third break level alternative of the sport as Routliffe hit an overhead winner to degree the set at 4-all.
Beneath risk, Chan and Kudermetova saved two set factors at 5-6 to carry serve, sending the opener right into a tiebreak. Trailing 5-6 within the tiebreak, Routliffe averted damage after a slip and fall, falling flat on her again within the midst of a set level save. Serving at 6-7 within the tiebreak, Chan lastly despatched a forehand lengthy, as Dabrowski and Routliffe seized the opening set 7-6(6) in 63 minutes. Routliffe sought a medical timeout after the set, however was happily okay.
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The second seeds continued to impose their dominant internet expertise within the second set and broke serve within the fifth recreation to take a 3-2 lead. Whereas Chan and Kudermetova responded with a break of their very own, the 2023 US Open winners reclaimed the benefit, and Routliffe held for a pivotal 5-3 edge.
Dabrowski, a local of Ottawa, closed issues out on her serve, hitting a drop shot volley winner on match level to safe the victory.
Dabrowski and Routliffe, who reached the semifinals of the occasion final yr, at the moment are 1-0 in round-robin play, main the White Group. They’ll face Italians Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani on Tuesday.
