Canada’s Dabrowski and partner advance after walkover in semifinal of Ostrava Open

OSTRAVA, Czechia — Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Brazilian partner Luisa Stefani  advanced to the women’s doubles final of the inaugural Ostrava Open on Saturday.

Dabrowski and Stefani moved on to the final of the Premier Level hardcourt tournament when the Czech pairing of Katerina Siniakova and Barbora Krejcíkova walked over.

They’ll face Belgium’s Elise Mertens and Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka in Sunday’s final.

Mertens and Sabalenka advanced after defeating Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens and Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday.

The indoor hard-court event was added to the WTA tour after tournaments in China were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s played without spectators.

Third-seeded Aryna Sabalenka and fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka will meet in an all-Belarusian final.

Former world No.1 Azarenka eased past Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-3 on Saturday to book a spot in her 40th career WTA final.

Azarenka will seek her second title this year after winning the Western & Southern Open, her first trophy since 2016.

She broke her Greek opponent five times while dropping her serve once on the way to her third final this year, including the U.S. Open.

Sabalenka had to fight harder to overcome American Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-4 and have a chance to also capture her second WTA title this year after the Qatar Open in Doha in February.

Sabalenka dominated the big points, converting all three of her break points and saving five of six break points she faced.

She will seek her seventh title while Azarenka will play for her 22nd trophy.

— With files from The Associated Press.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2020.

The Canadian Press