Reigning pairs shake off doubts in Riyadh debuts
Under the bright lights of the Saudi capital, defending champions Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe broke a stubborn losing streak, while Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend steadied after a mid-match wobble, launching the WTA Finals with hard-fought wins that promise tight group battles ahead.
In the expansive arena of Riyadh, where the indoor hard courts hum with swift pace, Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe carried the weight of unfinished business into their title defense. Twice this season, Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider had outlasted them, their lobs and defensive retrieves turning rallies into endurance tests that sapped the champions’ edge. Yet in the Liezel Huber Group opener, the third seeds channeled that tension into focus, claiming a 6-3, 7-6(2) victory in 1 hour and 23 minutes to extend their unblemished 6-0 record in the city.
Breaking through elusive defenses
The first set saw Dabrowski and Routliffe seize control from the baseline, their crosscourt groundstrokes pulling the young Russians wide and setting up inside-in forehands that pressured returns. Andreeva and Shnaider’s lobs, so effective earlier in the year, met quicker intercepts as Routliffe poached at net, converting defensive lobs into down-the-line volleys. This aggressive shift not only secured the early lead but also quieted the debutants’ growing confidence, with the crowd’s rising energy feeding the champions’ momentum.
Trailing 3-5 in the second set after a break, the pair dug deep, winning three straight games through Routliffe’s deep returns and Dabrowski’s flat passing shots that exploited gaps in the opponents’ coverage. The tiebreak unfolded as a display of precision, where they dominated 7-2 by minimizing errors and forcing rushed responses. For full updates, explore the WTA Finals: Scores, Draws, and Order of play.
“They’re a really tough match-up for us -- their lobs are amazing, their defense is amazing, you have to put away so many balls; it feels like the point never ends,” Routliffe reflected post-match. “I think we did a good job in the big moments of putting away the ball and staying aggressive.”
Dabrowski highlighted their resilience in the tighter exchanges, where the no-ad scoring amplified every deuce point—none arose in the first set, but they captured three of four in the second through steady energy and clutch inside-out winners. She expressed pride in their ability to stay composed, turning potential frustration into a confident start that eases the path toward retaining their crown.
Regrouping amid momentum swings
Shifting to the evening session, Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, the No. 2 seeds, burst out strong against Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani, racing to a 6-2 first set in just over 30 minutes with one–two combinations that sliced through tentative defenses. Townsend’s lefty serves stretched the court, allowing Siniakova’s underspin lobs to drop short and disrupt rhythm after 12 uneven games. At 3-1 in the second, victory seemed assured, the floodlights highlighting their seamless partnership after a two-month break since the US Open.
But Babos and Stefani ignited, stringing five straight games to force a match tiebreak by unlocking freer crosscourt passes that exposed gaps in the leaders’ net play. The seeds reset swiftly, rediscovering their early aggression to win 10-6 in the decider, completed in 1 hour and 27 minutes total, as Townsend’s booming serves neutralized poaches and Siniakova’s angled volleys pinned opponents deep. This outcome lifted their season record to 29-5 and bolstered their WTA Finals mark to 5-1 over the past two years, their only loss a final defeat to Dabrowski and Routliffe last season.
“I mean, it’s tennis, you know,” Townsend noted afterward. “We had some opportunities that we missed, and they started playing a lot freer. With this format, anything can switch so fast with it being no-ad and a 10-point tiebreaker. So, it happens, but I was really happy with the way we stayed cool, calm and collected and got back on the same page for the tiebreaker.”
The American also voiced delight at reuniting with her partner, their synergy shining in the tiebreak’s key points. As Siniakova pursues a second Martina Navratilova trophy and Townsend her first, they prioritize enjoyment in this year-end showcase.
“I haven’t been with her since the US Open,” she added. “So, it feels really good to be back on the court with her.” “it’s the last tournament of the year and we just want to play our best and have fun on the court. So that’s the goal.”
How the standings look after a breathless day of action ✍️@WTAFinalsRiyadh pic.twitter.com/nSjLbxFQbN
— wta (@WTA) November 2, 2025
Surface tactics fuel group intrigue
Riyadh’s fast hard courts reward bold approaches, amplifying Dabrowski and Routliffe’s serve-volley rushes while challenging lob-heavy styles with low bounces that demand precise placement. Their adjustments—deeper returns and varied spins—neutralized Andreeva and Shnaider’s patterns, holding serve in 10 of 11 games and converting net points at a high clip. Siniakova and Townsend similarly leveraged the pace for their 1–2 punches, though the mid-match lapse underscored how quickly defenses can adapt in no-ad play.
These openers, marked by the arena’s echoing rallies and supportive hum, set a tone of resilience amid the round-robin’s volatility. With both winning duos now atop their standings after a breathless day—How the standings look after a breathless day of action @WTAFinalsRiyadh pic.twitter.com/nSjLbxFQbN — wta (@WTA) November 2, 2025—the path forward hinges on sustaining that edge, potentially leading to a rematch that tests year-end supremacy on these unforgiving surfaces.
