Latest news with #Dabrowski
Hamilton Spectator
25-07-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski playing with new perspective since cancer diagnosis
MONTREAL - Winning still feels great for Gabriela Dabrowski, but it's not the be-all and end-all like it used to be. Ever since her battle with cancer last year, swinging a tennis racket has taken on a new meaning. 'Tennis really feels like it's not the No. 1 thing in life anymore,' Dabrowski said. 'If it was taken away from me tomorrow? Yeah, I would be sad. But if I'm healthy, then to me, that's all that really matters. 'There are bigger problems in life than winning a tennis match.' Last December, the 33-year-old doubles star from Ottawa revealed months after the fact that she had undergone two surgeries to treat breast cancer following a diagnosis in April. With only a few close friends and family aware of her fight, Dabrowski captured a mixed doubles bronze medal for Canada alongside Felix Auger-Aliassime at last summer's Paris Olympics and claimed the WTA Finals title with her longtime partner, Erin Routliffe. When she returned from her surgeries, every serve and volley felt like a bonus. 'Everything was like, 'Wow, this is such a different feel than what I've had in the past, which was like, 'Don't waste any potential you have, maximize the sport, do the best you can,'' Dabrowski said in a video interview from Ottawa, where she received the key to the city Thursday. 'Now I'm doing the best I can because I want to, not because I have to, and that was a huge shift for me. 'Even though losses hurt, they definitely don't hurt as much as before, which is nice. And wins still feel great, and being able to share them with the people around me is the best feeling, because we have been through a lot. I know I went through a lot, but they went through a lot, too.' Dabrowski and Routliffe, of New Zealand, won the 2023 US Open and reached last year's Wimbledon final. They'll be among the top seeds in the National Bank Open's women's doubles tournament, beginning Sunday in Montreal, marking the No. 8-ranked Dabrowski's first action on home soil since going public with her story. Dabrowski still manages side effects from radiation, surgery and long-term hormone therapy, but credits her medical team for keeping her in top shape with how she eats, sleeps, trains and recovers. Planning ahead to better recuperate from jet lag, which 'hits me harder than it used to,' is another adjustment she's making on the gruelling, travel-heavy circuit. This season has been especially tough because Dabrowski has struggled with a rib injury since February, an ailment that has forced her off the court more than the cancer diagnosis a year ago. She and Routliffe won the Stuttgart Open in April, but Dabrowski later withdrew from several tournaments, including the French Open in May, before returning to action in time for Wimbledon. The second-seeded pair 'did better than expected' under the circumstances, losing to eventual champions Elise Mertens and Veronika Kudermetova in a tight quarterfinal match. 'I'm proud of my last couple of months, considering what I went through,' said Dabrowski, who said she's playing at roughly 80 per cent capacity. 'Really trying to balance the healing component with continuing to increase volume in the gym and on the court, but without doing too much to where I might impede that last sort of stage of healing. 'I feel like even though I'm probably not at my most prepared going into National Bank Open, I still have a week to get more training in the tank, and then maybe some practice matches with Erin … she'll be match fit and she can carry me. It's fine.' REUNITING WITH FELIX? Dabrowski is hoping to team up with Auger-Aliassime in the US Open mixed doubles tournament in August, although she's not certain she'll get the chance. They are among 25 teams on the entry list, though only 16 will play. Most of the top stars in tennis — including Aryna Sabalenka, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner — have also entered teams into the revamped tournament, which will take place before singles action and feature a US$1-million prize. The eight teams with the best combined singles rankings will automatically qualify, and the USTA will select the next eight duos, meaning some doubles specialists, like Dabrowski, could be shut out of the doubles event. 'That lends itself to a definition of exhibition,' Dabrowski said of the format. 'I love that they've obviously increased prize money and all that, I think that's amazing. But at the same time, if you don't have any top doubles players in that draw, I don't think that it should be called a mixed doubles championship and you should win a Grand Slam trophy winning that event.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
25-07-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski playing with new perspective since cancer diagnosis
MONTREAL – Winning still feels great for Gabriela Dabrowski, but it's not the be-all and end-all like it used to be. Ever since her battle with cancer last year, swinging a tennis racket has taken on a new meaning. 'Tennis really feels like it's not the No. 1 thing in life anymore,' Dabrowski said. 'If it was taken away from me tomorrow? Yeah, I would be sad. But if I'm healthy, then to me, that's all that really matters. 'There are bigger problems in life than winning a tennis match.' Last December, the 33-year-old doubles star from Ottawa revealed months after the fact that she had undergone two surgeries to treat breast cancer following a diagnosis in April. With only a few close friends and family aware of her fight, Dabrowski captured a mixed doubles bronze medal for Canada alongside Felix Auger-Aliassime at last summer's Paris Olympics and claimed the WTA Finals title with her longtime partner, Erin Routliffe. When she returned from her surgeries, every serve and volley felt like a bonus. 'Everything was like, 'Wow, this is such a different feel than what I've had in the past, which was like, 'Don't waste any potential you have, maximize the sport, do the best you can,'' Dabrowski said in a video interview from Ottawa, where she received the key to the city Thursday. 'Now I'm doing the best I can because I want to, not because I have to, and that was a huge shift for me. 'Even though losses hurt, they definitely don't hurt as much as before, which is nice. And wins still feel great, and being able to share them with the people around me is the best feeling, because we have been through a lot. I know I went through a lot, but they went through a lot, too.' Dabrowski and Routliffe, of New Zealand, won the 2023 US Open and reached last year's Wimbledon final. They'll be among the top seeds in the National Bank Open's women's doubles tournament, beginning Sunday in Montreal, marking the No. 8-ranked Dabrowski's first action on home soil since going public with her story. Dabrowski still manages side effects from radiation, surgery and long-term hormone therapy, but credits her medical team for keeping her in top shape with how she eats, sleeps, trains and recovers. Planning ahead to better recuperate from jet lag, which 'hits me harder than it used to,' is another adjustment she's making on the gruelling, travel-heavy circuit. This season has been especially tough because Dabrowski has struggled with a rib injury since February, an ailment that has forced her off the court more than the cancer diagnosis a year ago. She and Routliffe won the Stuttgart Open in April, but Dabrowski later withdrew from several tournaments, including the French Open in May, before returning to action in time for Wimbledon. The second-seeded pair 'did better than expected' under the circumstances, losing to eventual champions Elise Mertens and Veronika Kudermetova in a tight quarterfinal match. 'I'm proud of my last couple of months, considering what I went through,' said Dabrowski, who said she's playing at roughly 80 per cent capacity. 'Really trying to balance the healing component with continuing to increase volume in the gym and on the court, but without doing too much to where I might impede that last sort of stage of healing. 'I feel like even though I'm probably not at my most prepared going into National Bank Open, I still have a week to get more training in the tank, and then maybe some practice matches with Erin … she'll be match fit and she can carry me. It's fine.' REUNITING WITH FELIX? Dabrowski is hoping to team up with Auger-Aliassime in the US Open mixed doubles tournament in August, although she's not certain she'll get the chance. They are among 25 teams on the entry list, though only 16 will play. Most of the top stars in tennis — including Aryna Sabalenka, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner — have also entered teams into the revamped tournament, which will take place before singles action and feature a US$1-million prize. The eight teams with the best combined singles rankings will automatically qualify, and the USTA will select the next eight duos, meaning some doubles specialists, like Dabrowski, could be shut out of the doubles event. 'That lends itself to a definition of exhibition,' Dabrowski said of the format. 'I love that they've obviously increased prize money and all that, I think that's amazing. But at the same time, if you don't have any top doubles players in that draw, I don't think that it should be called a mixed doubles championship and you should win a Grand Slam trophy winning that event.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Last Canadian falls at Wimbledon as Dabrowski ousted from women's doubles competition
LONDON – Ottawa's Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Erin Routliffe of New Zealand were eliminated from the Wimbledon women's doubles tournament Tuesday with a 7-5, 7-6 (4) quarterfinal loss to Elise Mertens and Veronika Kudermetova. The No. 2 seeds defended just one of the three break points they faced against Belgium's Mertens and Russia's Kudermetova. The eighth-seeded team of Mertens and Kudermetova also out-aced Dabrowski and Routliffe 7-2. Dabrowski and Routliffe reached the final at the All England Club last year, but the 2023 U.S. Open champions fell to Kateřina Siniaková of Czechia and Taylor Townsend of the United States. The 33-year-old Dabrowski also lost in the championship game at the grass-court Grand Slam in 2019 with then-partner Xu Yifan of China. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Dabrowski was the only Canadian remaining at Wimbledon. None of the six Canadians in the singles draws advanced past the second round. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Dabrowski, Routliffe advance to women's doubles quarterfinals at Wimbledon
WIMBLEDON – Ottawa's Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Erin Routliffe, of New Zealand, advanced to the women's doubles quarterfinals at Wimbledon with a 7-6 (1), 7-6 (2) win over Hungary's Fanny Stollar and Russia's Irina Khromacheva on Monday. The No. 2 seeds won 82 per cent of their first-service points, while putting 73 per cent of them in play, to win the match in one hour 48 minutes against the 13th-seeded Stollar and Khromacheva. Dabrowski and Routliffe reached the final at the All England Club last year, but the 2023 U.S. Open champions fell to Kateřina Siniaková of Czechia and Taylor Townsend of the United States. Siniaková and Townsend, who advanced to the quarterfinals Sunday, are the top seeds at this year's tournament. The 33-year-old Dabrowski also lost in the championship game at the grass-court Grand Slam in 2019 with then-partner Xu Yifan of China. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Dabrowski is the only Canadian remaining at Wimbledon. She and Routliffe will next face No. 8 seeds Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens of Belgium for a spot in the semifinal. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canada's Dabrowski, Croatia's Mektic fall in mixed doubles at Wimbledon
WIMBLEDON – Ottawa's Gabriela Dabrowski and Croatia's Nikola Mektic fell 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to American Robert Galloway and Indonesia's Aldila Sutjiadi in second-round mixed doubles tennis action at Wimbledon on Saturday. Dabrowski and Mektic, the fifth seeds, fired six aces to four double faults and won 61 per cent of their first-serve points. They also broke on three of their seven opportunities. Galloway and Sutjiadi had three aces to eight double faults and won 66 per cent first-serve points. They broke on four of five chances in the one-hour, 43-minute match. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Dabrowski is the lone Canadian left at Wimbledon, and is set to compete in round of 16 action along with New Zealand's Erin Routliffe on Monday against Hungary's Fanny Stollar and Russia's Irina Khromacheva. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2025.
