Canadian star Gabriela Dabrowski claimed her second Grand Slam title at the US Open a year after battling cancer.
Dabrowski and partner Erin Routliffe defeated top seeds Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova 6-4 6-4 to reclaim the women’s doubles crown two years after winning it for the first time.
It was on New Year’s Eve last year when Dabrowski revealed she had been playing through treatment for breast cancer having been diagnosed in April 2024.
She took a two-and-a-half-month break, including undergoing two operations, but reached the Wimbledon final with Routliffe, while the pair won the WTA Finals at the end of last season.
Speaking after lifting the trophy in New York, Dabrowski said it had been a “wild ride”.
“Cancer, broken ribs for both of us, it was crazy, honestly,” added the 33-year-old.
“I’m really proud of us. It was not easy, but I think we’ve shown that, even if we don’t have a consistent schedule like the other teams have, we can still bring a really high level, which is awesome.
“I think that’s a testament to our work ethic and everything that we put in on court, off the court, with each other as friends, too, to keep the chemistry going. I think it’s all culminated into this moment.”
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Taylor Townsend says she didn’t have to ‘defend anything’ after her post-match exchange with Jelena Ostapenko at the US Open
Defeat marked the end of an unforgettable tournament for Townsend after her courtside confrontation with Jelena Ostapenko following a second-round singles clash went viral.
Ostapenko eventually apologised after accusing Townsend of having no education and no class, leading to claims of racism, which the Latvian denied.
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Naomi Osaka says ‘no education’ comments from Ostapenko towards Townsend is ‘one of the worst things you could say to a black player’
“I feel like this tournament changed my life in terms of exposure,” said Townsend, who suffered a heartbreaking loss in the singles fourth round after holding eight match points against Barbora Krejcikova.
“My social media followers have quadrupled. It’s crazy. I really feel like the type of tennis that I played and just the person and the player that I am now really gained a lot of respect in the locker room amongst my counterparts.
“Even Novak (Djokovic) said something to me. Jannik (Sinner) said something to me. Like, ‘Hey, like, you played really well, keep going, keep going’. Everyone was watching. It’s been fun.”
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