Ottawa's Dabrowski, partner Routliffe advance to U.S. Open women's doubles semifinals

Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski takes part in practice for the Billie Jean King Cup tennis qualifiers against Belgium, in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Ottawa's Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Erin Routliffe have advanced to the U.S. Open women's doubles semifinals. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

NEW YORK - Ottawa's Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Erin Routliffe have advanced to the U.S. Open women's doubles semifinals.

The duo outlasted sixth seeds Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., and Taylor Townsend of Chicago 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8) in a two-hour, 31-minute quarterfinal match on Tuesday.

After evening the match by taking the second set, the 16th-seeded Dabrowski and Routliffe jumped out to a 4-1 edge in the third and final set.

However, Fernandez and Townsend won three straight games to even it up. After taking a 6-5 lead, they failed to capitalize and Dabrowski and Routliffe forced a tiebreak.

Having fallen behind 7-2 in the tiebreak, Dabrowski and Routliffe picked up six straight points to get ahead. After an unforced error gave Dabrowski and Routliffe match point, they capitalized with a backhand volley winner to advance.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will play the eighth-seeded duo of Taiwan's Su-Wei Hsieh and China's Xinyu Wang on Friday.

This report by ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥was first published Sept. 5, 2023.

Note to readers: This is a corrected version. A previous version stated Dabrowski and Routliffe were ahead 7-2 in the tiebreak.

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