DUBAI — It was a tough outing for Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe at the Dubai Tennis Championships as they faced defeat in the women’s doubles second round. The duo was edged out by the formidable Czechia native Linda Noskova and Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva, concluding the match with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 10-2.
After capturing the second set, Noskova and Putintseva showcased their skills, dominating the tiebreak to level the match and claim control.
In the crucial tiebreak, Dabrowski and Routliffe faced challenges, winning a mere one out of six service points and just one of four return points.
The Canadian-Kiwi duo initially displayed promise, breezing through the first set without facing a break point and successfully converting one of seven break opportunities against their opponents.
This defeat marks a disappointing trend for Dabrowski and Routliffe, who have now endured two consecutive losses since their impressive semifinal run at the Australian Open last month.
As the reigning WTA Finals doubles champions, they received a first-round bye in Dubai, which made their early exit even more surprising.
