Erin Routliffe of New Zealand during a practice session. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
New Zealand tennis player Erin Routliffe has recorded another stellar year in the sport and has her sights set on more glory in the coming years.
The 29 year old is enjoying some down time after finishing the 2024 season with victory in the season ending WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia.
She and Canadian partner Gaby Dabrowski have formed a formidable doubles combination over the last year and have a number of prestigious titles to their name.
Routliffe also got to represent New Zealand at this year's Paris Olympics.
She won three tournaments in 2024, became the world number one ranked doubles player in July (her current ranking is 2) and has pocketed more than two million dollars in prize money.
"It's probably the best I have ever played but I also feel there is plenty of room for improvement," she told RNZ.
Routliffe and Dabrowski came together for the 2023 US Open in New York. Their respective rankings meant they were named the 16th seeds and they went on a golden run beating the sixth seeds in the quarter-finals, the 2023 French and Wimbledon champions in the semi-finals and then former champions Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva in the final to claim their first Grand Slam title.
"You get to know each other over time and the partnership gets better and better and I think we still have a lot of room to grow together," she said.
"The best thing about playing doubles is that if I'm having a bad day she knows how to lift me up and carry us and then visa versa and that makes celebrating a lot more fun also.
Routliffe reached eight WTA doubles finals this year, winning in Nottingham, Cincinnati and Riyadh, while one of the finals losses was at Wimbledon.
She is back at her base in Montreal and is training with her American based coach ahead of their next tournament which is the ASB Classic in Auckland at the end of the year.
Routliffe played this year's ASB Classic with fellow New Zealander Paige Hourigan making the quarter-finals.
She's excited to be playing the tournament with Dabrowski who hasn't played in New Zealand for a half a dozen years.
"It's the best way to start the year and Gaby is excited to have the crowd behind us and we're going to spend christmas together there."
Erin Routliffe (NZL) talks tactics with doubles partner Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN), Wimbledon 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Routliffe describes her link to New Zealand as epic. She was born in Auckland while her Canadian parents were on an around the world sailing adventure. They returned to Canada when she was four.
"Hippies is what I describe my parents as, it was very cool by them and it was a massive part of me and my sisters upbringing."
Her sisters Tara and Tess were also born in Auckland.
Routliffe says the upside to losing in the quarter-finals of the US Open this year was it allowed her to fly back to Paris to see her sister Tess compete for Canada in the Paralympics.
"I got to see her in her last two races (she won two swimming medals) that was the best, she is incredible and one of the most inspirational people I know."
Her other sister played volleyball on a college scholarship while her father Robert was a competitive sailor.
Tennis remains the focus for Routliffe and hopefully more titles. She and Dabrowski are committed to each other for 2025.
"I do feel I have a good couple of years ahead of me and I do want to go to the LA Olympics (2028)
"Gaby and I want to be multiple grand slam winners and I think that is possible."
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