Dabrowski and Routliffe's Grit Tested in Australian Open Women's Doubles Semifinal Loss

• by Arlen Fitzpatrick
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Seeds Shaken: Dabrowski and Routliffe Denied Spot in Australian Open Final

The path to an Australian Open title isn't always paved with smooth wins and perfect timing. Just ask Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe. Stepping onto the courts as the No. 2 seeds in women's doubles, they were prime contenders. But after a fierce three-set battle, their campaign ended in the semifinals, ousted 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-3 by Jelena Ostapenko and Hsieh Su-Wei—an unseeded team that just joined forces at the start of the January tennis swing.

The match itself was a seesaw, defined by tight rallies and back-and-forth momentum. The opening set came down to a tiebreaker with Ostapenko and Hsieh pulling ahead, while Dabrowski and Routliffe stormed back in the second. In the end, the Latvian-Taiwanese pair found the edge in the decider. For Rutliffe and Dabrowski, it was heartbreak—especially after clawing through earlier rounds that could have ended their run much sooner.

Injuries, Pressure, and Pride

If it looked as if Dabrowski and Routliffe lacked their usual chemistry, there’s a solid reason. Off-season training never happened. Routliffe’s rib injury meant the top-seeded duo went into the Australian Open virtually cold, skipped all lead-in tournaments, and worked out their rhythm on the fly. Many teams with this little prep barely survive the first week. But somehow, this pair found the gears to storm into the final four.

Dabrowski herself summed up their surprise run: "We could have gone out in the first or second round. I think we did amazing, considering." With last year's US Open trophy and the 2024 WTA Tour Finals already on their shelf, these kinds of comments aren’t typical modesty—they’ve set the bar high for themselves. And even with that, both kept their composure throughout, making no excuses for their tough loss. The frustration was there, but so was the pride in their grit and rapid adaptation.

The silver lining? Routliffe wasn’t done—she also fought through to the mixed doubles semifinals with Michael Venus. Dabrowski, meanwhile, is zeroed in on the next challenges. Both are planning to rebuild momentum at the WTA 1000 events in Doha and Dubai, where a clean slate and some actual practice time could unleash their full potential. The setback in Australia stings, but it’s clear this partnership isn’t close to finished. Their ability to hang tough—despite setbacks and a quick-forming rival team—says a lot about what’s still to come this season.