El Tabakh crowned doubles champion in Winnipeg

Heidi El Tabakh of Toronto, along with her doubles partner
Allie Kiick, won the tightly contested doubles championship
match at the 2013 CIBC Wood Gundy Challenger.

Article courtesy of Tennis Canada

The singles field at the CIBC Woody Gundy Challenger was narrowed to two following semifinal action at the Winnipeg Lawn Tennis Club on Saturday, while Canadian Heidi El Tabakh (Toronto) was crowned doubles champion of the $25K ITF Pro Circuit event alongside American partner Allie Kiick.

The unseeded team of El Tabakh and Kiick, who upset both the No. 3 and No. 1-seeded duos to reach the final, overcame British pair Samantha Murray and Jade Windley in a close 6-4, 2-6, 10-8 battle to earn the first-year tournament’s maiden trophy. The victory gives El Tabakh, who currently does not hold a doubles ranking, her first doubles title since 2010.

In singles action, Murray was able to come out on the winning side, as she bested Japan’s Nao Hibino 6-4, 6-3. The No. 3 seed will take on countrywoman and top seed Johanna Konta for the championship. For her part, Konta ousted No. 4 Risa Ozaki of Japan by a tidy score line of 6-3, 6-1.

Both Konta and Murray – who have never played each other before – have enjoyed strong weeks at the Winnipeg Lawn Tennis Club. World No. 140 Konta has not lost a set all week though, while No. 234-ranked Murray has faced a couple tough matches, including a third-set tiebreaker victory in the first round over Canadian Elisabeth Fournier. Both finalists will be looking for their first title of the 2013 season.

The all-Brit final will take place on Sunday at 12 noon local time. Admission is free. Fans can also follow live scoring of the final from www.tenniscanada.com. For more information on the CIBC Wood Gundy Challenger, please visit www.winnipegchallenger.com.

See also photos of doubles championship match