Routliffe into Wimbledon final, confirmed as next world No 1

Erin Routliffe is into the Wimbledon ladies’ doubles final on Saturday with Gabby Dabrowski and also confirmed she will be ranked No 1 in the world next week.

Routliffe and Dabrowski defeated Caroline Dolehide on Desirae Krawczyk 6-4 6-3 on Friday and will go on to play Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova on Centre Court for the title.

The ranking points from this win, plus the defeat by Elise Mertens in her semifinal, ensured that when the world rankings are updated next week, it will be Routliffe who proudly sits at the top of the list for women’s doubles. 

Routliffe and Dabrowski were the strongest team early in their semifinal in front of a big crowd on No 1 court, but they were unable to convert any of their first seven break points. However, at 2-2 and with Dolehide serving, they finally got there on the eighth attempt, with Dabrowski putting away a smash.

That advantage was gone when Routliffe was broken in her next service game. But this was followed by another break and then a solid hold by Dabrowski to take the opening set.

In the second set Krawczyk was broken at 2-3 and on the same player’s serve at 3-5 Routliffe and Dabrowski had a match point, with the latter audaciously chipped a slice down the line for the victory.

However, Routliffe wasn’t able to make it two finals at this year’s Wimbledon as she and Michael Venus lost to Hsieh Su-Wei from Chinese Taipei and Poland’s Jan Zielinski 7-6(0) 6-3 in the semifinals of the mixed doubles on Friday night.

“They’re obviously a very good team, they’ve won a mixed slam together before, so we knew it was going to be a battle,” Routliffe said.

“We had lots of opportunities in the first and I guess we didn’t capitalise on them. 

“They played a good breaker and I didn’t play a good breaker, so I feel like it was tough.”Although Venus didn’t make any finals, getting to two semis at Wimbledon is a great achievement and he’s content with how his fortnight went.

“If you told me before the week started that I was going to play two semifinals I’d take that for sure. But obviously, when you’re in that position you want more,” he said.

“It’s been a great two weeks and I’ll rest up and get ready for the US summer.”

Getting to No 1 the day before a grand slam final is an unusual situation for Routliffe, because it’s not as if she can celebrate it.

“I don’t want to think about it, I’d rather win Wimbledon,” she said. 

‘So I’m going to focus on that.”
Meanwhile, Venus said it was an astounding achievement from Routliffe to get to No 1.

“It’s amazing, that’s what everyone wants to do,” he said. 

“There’s one thing winning a slam, but to get to No 1 in the world you have to consistently have results at the big tournaments and you only get that ranking by doing it.

“So it shows the level she’s playing at and the work that her and her team are putting in. It’s so good to see.”