Brazil’s Luisa Stefani and Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski moved closer to the WTA Finals doubles semifinals Wednesday after producing a dramatic comeback to defeat Wimbledon champions Guo Hanyu and Kristina Mladenovic in a match that lasted more than two hours.
The top-seeded Brazilian-Canadian partnership survived a tense encounter at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, winning 7-6(5), 4-6, 10-5 to remain unbeaten in the round-robin stage of the season-ending championship. Their second consecutive victory put them in control of Group 1 and within reach of a semifinal berth, although their place in the final four was not yet mathematically guaranteed.
The result was particularly satisfying for Stefani and Dabrowski, who lost to the Chinese-French pairing in the Wimbledon doubles final earlier this year. Wednesday’s rematch gave them an opportunity to settle that score, but they needed a remarkable recovery in the deciding match tiebreak to secure the victory.
After splitting the opening two sets, Stefani and Dabrowski fell behind 5-2 in the 10-point match tiebreak. With the momentum favoring their opponents, the Brazilian and Canadian responded by winning eight consecutive points to complete the comeback. The victory took two hours and one minute and demonstrated the resilience that has helped make Stefani and Dabrowski one of the most successful doubles teams of the 2026 season.
The opening set was closely contested, with both teams struggling to hold serve consistently. Stefani and Dabrowski broke their opponents three times but also surrendered three service games of their own. They had an opportunity to serve out the set at 5-4, only for Guo and Mladenovic to respond and force a tiebreak.
The Brazilian-Canadian team eventually claimed the opening set 7-5 in the tiebreak after Mladenovic committed a double fault on set point. The Wimbledon champions responded strongly in the second set. Guo and Mladenovic increased the pressure on their opponents’ service games, breaking twice and establishing a 5-2 advantage. Although Stefani and Dabrowski fought back, the Chinese-French partnership closed out the set 6-4 to force a deciding match tiebreak.
For several minutes, it appeared the Wimbledon champions might repeat their Grand Slam victory. Instead, Stefani and Dabrowski raised their level when it mattered most, improving their serving and returns while putting their opponents under increasing pressure. Stefani acknowledged afterward that the match had been difficult and that the pair had needed to overcome several problems. She said their serving and returning improved during the closing stages, allowing them to regain control.
The victory was their second of the tournament following a 6-3, 7-6(5) win over Belgium’s Elise Mertens and China’s Zhang Shuai in Monday’s opening round. Stefani and Dabrowski now hold a 2-0 record in Group 1, putting them in a strong position to advance from the four-team group.
Their final round-robin match is scheduled for Friday, November 13, against Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, who defeated Mertens and Zhang 7-5, 6-3 on Wednesday. The top two teams in each group advance to Saturday’s semifinals, with the championship match scheduled for Sunday, November 15.
For Stefani, the tournament represents another opportunity to reach the season-ending final after finishing runner-up in 2025 alongside Hungary’s Timea Babos. Dabrowski already knows what it takes to win the championship. The Canadian captured the 2024 WTA Finals doubles title with New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe.
Their partnership has enjoyed an outstanding 2026 campaign. Before arriving at Indian Wells, Stefani and Dabrowski had collected six doubles titles together, including three WTA 1000 championships in Dubai, Beijing and Wuhan. They also won tournaments in Strasbourg, Eastbourne and São Paulo, establishing themselves as one of the most consistent teams on the women’s circuit.
Their success has extended beyond those victories. They reached the Wimbledon final and also finished runners-up at the Tokyo tournament earlier this month. The pair entered the WTA Finals as the top seeds, having built one of the strongest records in women’s doubles this season.
For Brazilian tennis, Stefani’s continued success is especially significant. The Olympic bronze medalist has become one of the country’s most accomplished doubles players and is seeking her first WTA Finals championship. Wednesday’s victory did not secure the title or eliminate the challenges ahead, but it moved Stefani and Dabrowski another step closer to their goal.
After surviving a difficult rematch against the Wimbledon champions, the Brazilian-Canadian team will enter Friday’s final group match with two victories, growing confidence and an opportunity to advance to the semifinals of women’s tennis’ season-ending championship.
