
Gauff and Kessler, primarily singles players, are surely happy to make the doubles final. But ... they could already have been preparing in Cincinnati and now, it's going to be a scramble.
–
MONTREAL – The Omnium Banque Nationale certainly didn’t go the way No. 1 seed Coco Gauff wanted – at least in singles.
But the world No. 2, who was the No. 1 doubles player in the world three years ago when she played more regularly, is sticking around in Montreal.
Gauff and partner McCartney Kessler – they probably don’t know each other well, but they have the same clothing sponsor – are into the doubles final after a 5-7, 6-4, [10-6] win over the pickup team of Hsieh Su-Wei and Olga Danilovic in the semifinals Monday.
They will face the winner of a match between No. 3 seeds (and Washington champions) Taylor Townsend and Zhang Shuai and Americans Caroline Dolehide and Sofia Kenin.
That one goes at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Here’s a look at Gauff and Kessler in their quarterfinal win over two standout doubles players, Barbora Krecjikova and Jelena Ostapenko.
Good players, little team experience
Before the start of the tournament, you’d have given Krejcikova and Ostapenko a pretty good shot at winning it, even if they haven’t played together often.
They teamed up at Eastbourne before this year’s Wimbledon, but withdrew after their opening win because of an injury to Krejcikova.
Before that, it was a $50,000 ITF in Olomouc, Czechia almost exactly a decade ago in July, 2015.
(For the record Krejcikova, then 19 and Ostapenko, then 18, lost to the immortal team of … Pia Konig and Adrijana Lakaj in the first round. I’d bet they probably don’t even remember it).
They were impressive in defeating the solid doubles specialist team of Olivia Nicholls and Tereza Mihalikova in the first round. That pair hasn’t had much draw luck; they caught Elena Rybakina and Emma Raducanu in the first round of the Washington, D.C. tournament two weeks ago.
Here’s what that looked like.

More Stories
Canucks This Week – Week ending Aug. 31, 2025 (Wednesday results)
Another former Slam champ for Mboko’s US Open debut
A rare moment: Canadian women meet in a Grand Slam main draw