Tennis-Dabrowski, Routliffe overcome Siniakova and Townsend for US Open doubles title

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By Amy Tennery

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Canadian-Kiwi duo Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe overcame Czech Katerina Siniakova and American Taylor Townsend in the U.S. Open women’s doubles final on Friday 6-4 6-4, lifting the trophy in New York for a second time.

Dabrowski and Routliffe took the court in matching purple kits and appeared totally in sync as they avenged their defeat to the same opponents in the 2024 Wimbledon final, saving five of the seven break points they faced in a fine defensive effort.

Siniakova and Townsend were in terrific form after winning the Australian Open earlier this year but struggled to chip away at their opponents’ defenses and lost their momentum in a feisty second set.

“What a wild ride,” the Canadian Dabrowski said to her teammate. “We’ve been through so much together, I feel extremely grateful to be standing alongside you as a champion today.”

In the first set, Routliffe got her team up a break with a swift backhand volley at the net in the sixth game but the battle was on as Townsend converted a fourth break point chance with a forehand winner in the ninth.

The Canadian-Kiwi duo retaliated immediately, converting on another break point to close out the set and their coach urged them to “stay relentless” after a routine hold to open the second set.

They took that advice as they won the next two games, but the momentum slipped through the third seeds’ fingers as Dabrowski dropped her serve with a double fault in the fifth.

Siniakova and Townsend got a monumental hold in a marathon, six-deuce eighth game, getting the crowd on their feet in a series of thrilling cat-and-mouse exchanges at the net. 

But the top seeds ran out of steam in the final game as Routliffe sent over a superb backhand winner on the penultimate point and Townsend sent a shot well past the baseline on match point.

The winners will split a $1 million cheque, after organizers increased the prize money from $750,000 a year ago.

The final capped a memorable women’s doubles competition in New York, as the 45-year-old Venus Williams helped pack the stands with her surprise run to the quarter-finals and an impressive crowd turned up for the midday final at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“This is probably one of the better crowds I’ve had for a doubles final so thank you for supporting us,” said Townsend, who reached the fourth round of the singles competition and featured in the tournament’s revamped mixed doubles as well.

“We try to really be great representation for the tour and to show doubles is still tennis.”

(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)