Gaby Dabrowski knows the highs and lows of playing doubles tennis

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Is there any Canadian athlete more gifted than Gaby Dabrowski at finding a silver lining among the clouds? Several years ago, after her dreams of success as a singles tennis player began to falter, the Ottawa-born Dabrowski made the pragmatic decision to specialize in doubles – and quickly began to rise up the rankings. But this spring, Dabrowski, 31, hit a rocky patch, splitting from her friend and on-court partner, Luisa Stefani. Rumours were she might pair up with a marquee singles player, maybe even Bianca Andreescu.

Instead, Dabrowski, partnered with the New Zealand-born, Canadian-raised Erin Routliffe, 28 – and promptly pulled off a major upset, winning the U.S. Open championship in a thrilling straight-sets match. The pair became the first women from their respective countries to win a major doubles title in the Open Era. A few weeks later, they won the Bank of Communications Zhengzhou Open, scoring them a spot in the WTA Finals, which kicks off Sunday in Cancun.

Dabrowski knows doubles tennis still doesn’t get much respect. But if more viewers were to tune in and see her fast-paced, sharp-angled, daredevil style of play, maybe they’d demand broadcasters and sponsors put it in a brighter spotlight.

WEEKENDS WITH

When were you happiest?

Oh. [Long pause.] That is a really difficult question. Can we come back to it?

Sure. Is there a favourite trait you have?

Something that I’m proud of, in terms of my tennis career and doubles partnerships, is I’ve felt like I’ve always handled them with integrity. That’s really not easy to do, because there’s a lot of flip-flopping that goes on. And I think I’ve stayed really honest.

By ‘flip-flopping,’ do you mean the opportunistic changing of partners, when someone better becomes available?

Exactly. Basically, my mentality is, I will screw myself over before I screw someone else over. And that’s happened many times over the course of my tennis.

What is your least favourite trait?

I think that’s really tricky, because some of my least favourite things about myself are still very much what make me, me. So, overthinking or being really hard on myself. But, at the same time, I feel like some of the parts of me that are over-analytical have helped me strategize against my opponents. And I think it makes you a better person and a better athlete. However, I would say when I’m too hard on myself, I can get in my own way and that doesn’t leave enough room for growth.

What is the hardest part about playing doubles?

I think probably figuring out how to manage a partner without micromanaging them. It’s very much like being in a relationship, because you want to allow enough space for the other person to feel like they have the freedom to be themselves, while at the same time you’re trying to get on the same page every day about a common goal. And if you have the right people around you guiding you, then you’re probably going to be able to figure out a way to be successful. But if it’s just you two, trying to figure it out, it’s really not easy.

Why doesn’t doubles tennis get more attention and respect?

There’s a lot of short-term thinking, so there’s not a whole lot of room for creativity and taking risk, and investing in something for a longer-term goal because there’s a chance that it might not work out.

Do you mean across the whole infrastructure – the tour, the Slams, broadcasters, federations, sponsors?

Yes. People are thinking, ‘How do I make money now?’ And that’s just the same thing, year-in and year-out. So if there’s a slot for a match, they’re not going to think, ‘Oh, hey, we know the story of these girls who are playing doubles, and this is a really interesting match because of X, Y, Z, and we know the journey that they’ve been on to get to this point in the tournament.’ No, they’re going to go with a name that’s already known and give the slot to them, instead of potentially taking a chance on a doubles match and being able to tell that story. And I would say our own struggle is that a lot of teams don’t stick together, because I think you have more of a story when teams stick together long-term.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Having qualified for two Olympics [Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020]

Not winning the U.S. Open?

No. From a young age, Olympics has always been my No. 1 goal, and if I got a medal at the Olympics, I could certainly retire happy. But definitely winning the U.S. Open is a close second.

Do you have a greatest extravagance?

Haha!! Not really. I think I’m pretty smart with my finances. It’s nothing material, because that stuff doesn’t bring me joy.

Well, an extravagance isn’t necessarily frivolous.

Maybe upgrading to business class for the comfort. Because when we have our long-haul flights and we’re competing so much overseas, that definitely makes a difference on how the body feels.

What would be your favourite journey?

Oh, a safari. There are so many that are amazing. There’s one account that I follow, it’s called Asilia Africa. [Reads from its Instagram bio.] “Stay in our award-winning camps in Tanzania and Kenya, featuring authentic safaris that leave a positive impact on East Africa.”

Do you have a favourite author?

No, but my favourite book probably is Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. It’s an amazing story of an Australian man who escapes from prison in Australia and ends up in India, and it’s basically his story of living in India, and the people he meets along the way. It’s got unbelievable storytelling, but, at the same time, really wonderful life lessons and an interesting take on life’s philosophy.

Do you have a hero?

I don’t really like idolizing people too much. If you put them on a pedestal, I think they’ll always disappoint you, because they’re human and they’re allowed to make mistakes. But someone that I’ve always really admired in the tennis sphere is Andy Murray. He seems to conduct himself with a high level of integrity. I’ve also liked how he wears his emotions on his sleeve and he’s not afraid to be himself on the court. And I think I relate to that, because I’m a really emotional person.

Is there an invitation you would like to receive?

I want to be invited to learn how to rally race. I don’t know if you know my dad’s story at all, but he’s from Poland and he moved to Canada [in the early 1980s, after the government there declared martial law], and when he had enough money, he did rally racing in North America. So, it’s always been something that I’ve wanted to try. He’s 70 now, so I would go with him, I would want to learn from him but also from current professionals. So, yeah, I would want an invitation to learn how to rally race.

Favourite podcasts?

I have, like, six that I listen to, interchangeably.

Any in particular you’d want to mention?

Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett. I really like Huberman Lab, with Andrew Huberman, who’s a neuroscientist based out of Stanford. On Purpose, with Jay Shetty. And, on more sort of a spiritual level, I like listening to The Michael Singer Podcast.

What or who is your greatest love?

My parents.

Okay, so, back to the beginning: When were you happiest?

It’s funny. You don’t really think of that a lot, you know? Like, when you’re just so ‘go go go’ all the time, and you have all these goals you want to achieve, and you’re just working towards that – and then you’re, like, ‘Wait, when was I actually happiest?’ I would say, sitting on my balcony at sunset with one of my best friends talking about life and the universe, and reading poetry. Or many moons ago, when I was in love. But I don’t really want to say that, I don’t think.

You don’t want to say that on the record?

I don’t know, because there was also, like, so much pain that came with that.

Sure. But, I mean, isn’t that life?

Yeah. (Pause.) You can include it. That’s fine.