NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 6, 2026

Gabriela Dabrowski

Press Conference

GAUFF-McNALLY/Alexandrova-Dabrowski

3-6, 6-3, 11-9

THE MODERATOR: Not an easy match dealing with the weather and all that. Talk us through how that went today.

GABRIELA DABROWSKI: Yeah, obviously tricky with the rain. But it's the summer in North America, it's to be expected. It's okay.

Yeah, a little bit unlucky maybe, you know, kind of impacting the momentum of the match maybe a little bit. But at the same time, I mean, it's hard to really get momentum in general with the quick scoring format. So I kind of, yeah, it wasn't a big deal. We still played pretty well.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What was the process like having to find a rhythm with a new partner in such a short amount of time? I know earlier in the week you said you hadn't even seen Alexandrova, I think that was around Sunday. So, with such a quick turnaround, how was the process in trying to find that rhythm before the match?

GABRIELA DABROWSKI: Yeah, I mean, I guess you don't really find a rhythm. She played singles this morning, so we haven't had a chance to practice together.

But, I mean, I also expect that playing with someone who is focused on their singles. That's why I have a hitting partner here. So I was kind of working on my own stuff.

I treated this as a match that I wanted to win, but also as working on things to keep progressing in sort of my general development of my doubles game.

Also trying out the deuce side a little bit, just in case I might need to play on the deuce side for like US Open mixed or something.

So I still thought it was really valuable, even though we didn't have the rhythm maybe that I would normally be used to.

Q. That match had a lot of swings. Being at home, pretty packed out there, how much of a factor was the crowd, especially in that tiebreak when you were down 5-1?

GABRIELA DABROWSKI: Oh, yeah, we were down. I forgot (laughing). Yeah, again, with the scoring format, it's like, even when you're up, you're not really. You're close to the end, but you're also close to it being tied or being down again.

So even though we were down 5-1 I just felt, Okay, we can squeeze a point here, we can maybe hold two points on Kat's serve, and then all of a sudden it's 5-4 and you're right in it.

But, yeah, I thought the crowd was amazing. It was wonderful to have such a packed court. It was really fun to play in front of a lot of people cheering for McCoco as well. So that was really nice and balanced, I guess. It's very Canadian of us (laughing).

But, yeah, no, I thought it was really fun, and, yeah, it was really fast paced also on that court too, so hopefully the fans enjoyed that.

Q. How did your expectations change this week given the partner switch?

GABRIELA DABROWSKI: Yeah, I didn't really have very many expectations in terms of results. Like, if we would win matches, that would be wonderful.

But if not, it's okay, I get to spend time in Toronto, see my friends, practice, get better.

So it was kind of like, if we're winning that's great, and if not it's still great. Like, I like being here. It's really nice to spend time with people that I haven't seen in a long time, and enjoy the city, and things I don't really get to do too often.

So, yeah, today was a loss, and that sucks that I'm out of tournament, but I'll still be around and maybe practicing or physiotherapy or watching some matches.

Yeah, so unfortunately, yeah, I can't get out there again for the fans. But I still loved it, honestly. Yeah, I didn't have expectations, so I'm not really too disappointed.

Q. You mentioned the US Open earlier. Obviously you have such great memories there at Flushing Meadows. Has that anticipation kicked in yet to get your US Open campaign started, or is it still just one week at a time?

GABRIELA DABROWSKI: I think a bit more one week at a time. Obviously, with Luisa not being here, we'll kind of regroup together in Cincinnati.

I feel like once Cincinnati gets under way, towards the end of that event, then we'll probably start looking towards New York.

But, honestly, we kind of take things very much step by step. We try not to get too ahead of ourselves. Of course, excited to play again, to be in New York, and to kind of reminisce maybe with some nice memories.

But other than that, it's a whole new swing, it's a whole new tournament, it's someone that I'm hoping to make new great memories with. Yeah, so it's more of just like, we'll take it as it comes, I think.

Q. I know that you're quite close with Carol Zhao, who played her last NBO match this week. Can you speak to your friendship with her, and what that was like to see her bring a curtain down on her National Bank Open career?

GABRIELA DABROWSKI: Oh, my goodness. What a legend, Carol. Brilliant, brilliant human being. So kind, so thoughtful. I've so appreciated our friendship over so many years, through many, many ups and downs through both of our careers. Injury, health, rankings swings, difficult decisions, what to do, scheduling.

We've had long conversations back and forth, analyzing matches and coaching situations, and where to play next, and what to do.

So I don't know exactly her plans for the rest of the year. I hope she can play a few more.

Obviously really difficult to see her hurting as much as she was with her elbow. That was really tough.

It's not really a way that anyone wants to, in a sense, be forced to go out. But the sport is brutal, and sometimes you don't have the chance to end your career exactly on the terms that you want, and you still have to accept it.

I think she's doing a really good job of that and she has such amazing people around her that support her no matter what. And I feel privileged to be one of them.

I'm just so excited to see where her life takes her next. She could literally do whatever she wants to do. She's so bright, she's so switched on, so generous with her time and her friendship. So I, as a friend, I wish her the very, very best.

I'm hoping we get to hang out more, you know, away from tennis now, which would be wonderful. That's really more of the true quality time I think that you get to spend with people.

So, yeah, she's amazing, and I can't wait to see what's next for her.