Erin Routliffe (NZL) talks tactics with doubles partner Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN), Wimbledon 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Erin Routliffe and Gaby Dabrowski's reign as WTA Finals doubles champions is over.
The New Zealand/Canadian pair have missed out on the semi-finals at the season-ending event in Riyadh after suffering their second group loss.
They were beaten by Timea Babos of Hungary and Luisa Stefani of Brazil in a super tie breaker
The defending champions needed to win their final pool game, after losing to Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova in their previous match
The third seeds took the first set 6-2, but were soon down a break in the second before losing it 7-5.
The seventh seeded Hungarian/Brazilian pair took the super tie-break 10-5.
The four combinations through to the semi-finals are second seeds Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova, fourth seeds Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Merhtens and sixth seeds Su-Wei Hsieh and Jelena Ostapenko along with Babos and Stefani.
Routliffe will next play in Poland in New Zealand's Billie Jean King Cup team.
Routliffe is ranked fifth in the world in doubles, she won four doubles titles this year and collected prize money of $1.7 million.
In the WTA Finals singles semi-finals top seed Aryna Sabalenka plays fourth seed Amanda Anisimova and fifth seed Elena Rybakina will play sixth seed Jessica Pegula.
