On Day 1 of the GNP Seguros WTA Finals Cancun, No.7 seeds Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe pulled off a remarkable upset, defeating No.1 seeds Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula in group play with a score of 7-6(2), 6-3.
The reigning US Open champions, Dabrowski and Routliffe, demonstrated their resilience by rallying back from a 4-1 deficit in the first set, ultimately securing victory in a thrilling match that lasted 1 hour and 25 minutes. With this win, Dabrowski and Routliffe, who recently formed their partnership in the summer, have now triumphed in 13 out of their last 16 matches.
Discover the latest scores, draws, and order of play for the WTA Finals here.
By emerging victorious, Dabrowski and Routliffe establish themselves at the top of the Mahahual Group with a 1-0 record, while Gauff and Pegula start off with a 0-1 record. The other teams in the Mahahual Group include No.4 seeds Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova, as well as No.6 seeds Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva.
Despite being co-ranked No.1 in the WTA doubles rankings, Americans Gauff and Pegula were unable to maintain their early momentum. Gauff had the opportunity to clinch the first set when she served at 5-4.
However, an untimely double fault by Gauff presented Dabrowski and Routliffe with their first break point of the day, which they capitalized on to level the set at 5-5.
Pegula impressively saved three consecutive break points, holding her serve to take a 6-5 lead. Nevertheless, Routliffe responded by holding her serve, leading to a tiebreak. During the tiebreak, Routliffe’s precise net play proved decisive as she and Dabrowski claimed the last four points in a row.
In the second set, Dabrowski and Routliffe established a dominant 5-1 lead. However, Gauff and Pegula mounted a comeback, narrowing the score to 5-3 and holding three break points on Routliffe’s serve. Nonetheless, Dabrowski and Routliffe managed to hold on and secure the victory, culminating in a winning backhand shot by Dabrowski.
In another match earlier on Sunday, No.3 seeds Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara commenced the WTA Finals with a triumph over No.5 seeds Desirae Krawczyk and Demi Schuurs, prevailing with a score of 7-5, 6-2.
During the 1 hour and 36-minute showdown, the all-Japanese duo saved an impressive 10 out of 12 break points. Aoyama and Shibahara now hold a 1-0 lead in the Maya Ka’an Group, while Krawczyk and Schuurs begin with a 0-1 record. The other teams in the Maya Ka’an Group consist of No.2 seeds Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens, as well as No.8 seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez.
A powerful return by Shibahara propelled her team to an early 3-1 lead in the Sunday clash, but a couple of impressive volley winners by Schuurs brought her and Krawczyk level at 5-5. Nevertheless, Aoyama and Shibahara seized set point while Schuurs was serving at 6-5, converting it with a winning volley courtesy of Aoyama.
The Japanese duo continued to dominate in the second set, utilizing deep returns that often landed right on the baseline. They quickly established a 4-1 advantage and eventually secured victory with a break of serve at 5-2, sealed by a skilled crosscourt winner from Shibahara.
Aoyama and Shibahara now hold a 2-1 edge in their head-to-head encounters against Krawczyk and Schuurs, with all three meetings occurring this year. Earlier this summer, Aoyama and Shibahara also emerged triumphant over Krawczyk and Schuurs in the WTA 1000 Montreal final.
Jessica Roberts serves up the latest in the world of tennis. With a love for the racket sport, she reports on tennis matches, player rankings, and Grand Slam events, ensuring readers stay informed about the tennis world.
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