In an electrifying display at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, the duo of Katerina Siniakova from the Czech Republic and American Taylor Townsend, seeded second, clinched a hard-fought victory against Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Erin Routliffe from New Zealand. The match, which took place on Tuesday, concluded with Siniakova and Townsend triumphing 6-4, 7-6(3), effectively reversing last year’s final loss in the same tournament. Notably, the pair rallied from a 2-5 deficit in the second set, demonstrating remarkable resilience amid the mounting pressure.
After the match, Townsend reflected on the tense nature of their contest, stating, “It’s always tough when you lose to the same team, and it’s so close—at the US Open, it was just a break in each set.” This victory not only avenged their earlier defeat but also leveled their head-to-head record against the Canadian-Kiwi pair at two wins apiece.
The victory was made even more significant as it guaranteed Siniakova and Townsend a place in the semi-finals, given that earlier in the day, Hungary’s Timea Babos and Brazil’s Luisa Stefani secured a win over the Russian team of Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider. This development means that Siniakova and Townsend’s path through the tournament remains intact, bolstering their confidence as they pursue the title.
Townsend’s performance was particularly noteworthy; she was the standout server in the match, facing no break points and minimizing errors on her serve. After dropping serve at a critical moment in the second set, the Americans managed to break back thanks to a notable winner from Townsend. The decisive tiebreak showcased their power as they took control, with Siniakova delivering strong returns that left their opponents vulnerable.
Following the match, Siniakova acknowledged the ups and downs of the encounter, expressing gratitude for Townsend’s support during challenging moments. “I need to focus, I need to keep it together, and I was just so happy that Taylor held me up,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of teamwork.
In a separate fixture on the same day, Babos and Stefani achieved redemption by defeating Andreeva and Shnaider 7-5, 2-6 [10-7]. This victory marked their first win of the tournament, reviving their chances for progression after a rocky start. Babos, a three-time champion at the event, emphasized the dramatic nature of competition at this level, noting, “Every match is very dramatic… but, of course, it’s great that we still have a chance to win this thing.”
As they prepare to face the defending champions Dabrowski and Routliffe in their next match, both Siniakova-Townsend and Babos-Stefani find themselves in high-stakes scenarios, where victories will be crucial in determining who advances beyond the group stage. With both teams eager to solidify their campaigns, the upcoming matches promise to deliver intense competition and thrilling tennis.
