Gabriela Dabrowski has been to the WTA Finals many times. So many times, in fact, that when asked, she can’t recall how many, muttering years under her breath as she attempts to remember and tally them all.

She lands on eight times, and asks me to fact check that. She is correct. In November at Indian Wells, the two-time Grand Slam champion and former WTA Finals champion will contest the prestigious year-end tournament for the eighth time.

Since 2017, the only time Dabrowski hasn’t played the WTA Finals was 2021. But it wasn’t because she didn’t qualify.

The 34-year-old did qualify that year, alongside Brazil’s Luisa Stefani, despite beginning their partnership in August. They found on-court chemistry immediately, reaching the final in San Jose in their first tournament and then winning the National Bank Open in Montreal. They followed that up with a run to the semifinals at another WTA 1000 tournament, in Cincinnati, and carried that momentum into New York, where they won their first four matches at the US Open.

But in that semifinal match against Coco Gauff and Caty McNally, leading 2-0 in the first-set tiebreaker, Stefani fell awkwardly, and painfully, to the ground mid-point. It was a torn ACL, and after attempting to walk off the court, she was taken off in a wheelchair.

Dabrowski and Stefani were unable to play the WTA Finals, held in Guadalajara that year, and it would be another year before she returned to the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz. 

In one of the feel-good stories of 2022, Dabrowski and Stefani won the Chennai Open in the latter’s first tournament back, winning all eight of their sets comfortably. They didn’t play together again that year, and reunited for six more tournaments in 2023. They couldn’t recapture the magic from two years prior, though, going just 7-6 and never making it past the quarterfinals.

Two years and several partners later, they teamed up again in January. The decision came after Erin Routliffe, who teamed with Dabrowski to win the 2024 WTA Finals, decided that she was going to play with Asia Muhammad, one of her closest friends, in 2026.

Dabrowski needed a new partner, but the search didn’t last very long. The first person she asked was Stefani, and she happily agreed.

The decision to re-form their team paid dividends immediately, with a semifinal showing at the Australian Open in their first tournament together. And eight months later, their third act has proven to be even more successful than their first. Dabrowski and Stefani have won three titles already this year (in Dubai, Strasbourg and Eastbourne), and reached the Wimbledon final without dropping a set before falling to champions Hanyu Guo and Kristina Mladenovic in the title match. 

“The chemistry came quite naturally in terms of tennis,” said Stefani, who was a runner-up alongside Timea Babos at last year’s Finals. “But I do feel like we’re  two different people, two different tennis players, with all the experiences we’ve had throughout the years. So basically we combined the game, the tactics and the conversations to get to where we are now.

“Everything kind of happened organically, but we put a lot of work into it as well, individually and together, to make it work.”

That work has certainly paid off. Earlier this month, they became the third doubles team to qualify for the WTA Finals.

Five years later, they’ll get a second chance to become WTA champions. But the ultimate goal of hoisting the Martina Navratilova Trophy aside, qualifying is an affirmation of a year’s worth of progress and excellence, and proof that they’ve been working and building towards something bigger than one-off successes.

“It’s very rewarding,” said Stefani. “It just means we had a very consistent season so far. It means our level is up there. We’re always adjusting and trying to figure out solutions, and taking every match and every tournament seriously, but also as a progression into finding our best level. 

“It’s just very rewarding to qualify early, and just achieve that goal that we set at the beginning of the year. You have goals, but it’s not always smooth sailing. We’ve gone through challenges. I’m just glad we got back together, and we’re having a great time.”

Qualifying for the WTA Finals is always one of Dabrowski’s top goals at the start of every season. In addition to the honor of being in the top eight, and the adrenaline and excitement that comes with competing against the best players and teams in the world, the doubles World No. 3 also treasures the experience. It’s a tournament unlike any other on the calendar. It’s quiet and intimate, there’s a feeling of exclusivity and players are treated exceptionally well.

Relive the chemistry as Dabrowski and Stefani capture the 2026 Dubai trophy

And the fact that it’s coming to Indian Wells makes it feel even more special.

“It’s a really cool culmination of the entire season,” she said. “Obviously we’ve played in different locations over the years that have been pretty cool, but being back at Indian Wells is very exciting. We love Indian Wells. It’s also easier for a lot of friends to come by and watch, so that’s gonna be really special for us, too.” 

Stefani, who played college tennis at Pepperdine University, near Malibu, is also thrilled about returning to the desert later this year.

“I love Indian Wells, and I honestly find any excuse to go back to LA and California,” the 29-year-old said. “It’s one of my favorite places in the world. I love the conditions. I love the place. I love the people there. I love that people love doubles.”

Following their run to the US Open semifinals, Dabrowski and Stefani are scheduled to play the WTA 250 SP Open in Sao Paulo next week.

The WTA Finals kicks off on Nov. 8 and will run through Nov. 15.