Dabrowski, Stefani fall to Siniakova, Townsend in Miami Open semifinals

MIAMI — Third seeds Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa and Brazil’s Luisa Stefani saw their Miami Open women’s doubles run end in a tense semifinal on Friday, falling 4-6, 6-4, 10-3 to second seeds Katerina Siniakova of Czechia and American Taylor Townsend.

The match turned on a dramatic champions tiebreak after the two pairs had split the opening sets, each converting three break points along the way. Siniakova and Townsend seized control early in the 10-point decider, racing ahead and never relinquishing the advantage to clinch a spot in the final.

The loss halts a strong stretch for Dabrowski and Stefani, who have reached at least the quarterfinals in every tournament they have contested this season and captured the WTA 1000 title in Dubai last month. Dabrowski, a former two-time U.S. Open champion and WTA Finals winner alongside New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe, teamed up with Stefani at the start of the current campaign and has quickly found cohesion with her new partner.

Siniakova, a former world No. 1 in doubles, and Townsend will now await the outcome of the other semifinal to learn their final opponents at the Miami Open.