Tennis: Routliffe set to rise to number two in the world

New Zealand tennis player Erin Routliffe is set to move up to No 2 in the world doubles rankings after victory in Britain.

Routliffe and Canadian partner Gabby Dabrowski won the final of the WTA 250 tournament in Nottingham.

It was a hectic final day at the Wimbledon lead-in tournament for Routliffe and Dabrowski.

Due to poor weather all week, they had to play their semifinal match in the morning, defeating Ashlyn Krueger from America and China’s Zhang Shuai 6-0 6-4.

Then after having a rest, the 2023 US Open champions took on Britain’s Harriet Dart and Diane Parry from France in the final.

It was Routliffe and Dabrowski’s toughest match of the week, but they came through, winning 5-7 6-4 11-9, saving a championship point in the third-set super tiebreak.

With the points from this win, Routliffe is expected to overtake Hsieh Su-Wei in the world rankings when they are updated this week.

Routliffe said earlier this year that her goal for 2024 was to get to No 1 in the world rankings and she now has only Belgium’s Elise Mertens ahead of her.

This was Routliffe and Dabrowski’s first tournament together since the Canadian’s injury at the Miami Open in March and it sets them up well for Wimbledon, which begins on 1 July.

It is Routliffe and Dabrowski’s third career title together and their first on grass.

Routliffe and Dabrowski are scheduled to play at the WTA 250 tournament in Birmingham this week.

They are the No 2 seeds and have been drawn against Greet Minnen from Belgium and Britain’s Heather Watson in the opening round.