Latest news with #GabyDabrowski
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
RIA Eyewear Redefining Tennis Sunglasses
Doubles Hall of Famers Mike and Bob Bryan have been part of RIA Eyewear since 2022. There's a growing sight on tennis courts: tennis sunglasses. In a sport where sunglasses haven't been customary on the pro tour, RIA Eyewear entered the space five years ago with a tennis-specific lens and frame, steadily building a bridge between the world of tennis and sunglasses. 'Sunglasses used to feel like a compromise,' Bob Bryan, 16-time major doubles champion and 2025 Hall of Fame inductee, tells me from Wimbledon, 'either they slipped, fogged up or made it harder to see the ball. RIA changed that. Once players realize they can actually enhance their vision on court without sacrificing comfort or style I think more of them will make the switch.' Current professional Gaby Dabrowski already has, thanks to a conversation with the Bryan brothers. 'What attracted me to RIA in the first place was the fact the iconic Bryan brothers were wearing their sunglasses,' the Canadian tells me about cold-calling RIA to discuss using the product. 'As a doubles-only player, seeing the best doubles duo of all time in the glasses meant that they felt comfortable playing in them.' Gaby Dabrowski wearing RIA's Versa frame while playing in Wimbledon 2025. The tennis-specific nature of RIA isn't a marketing play. Jordan Kemp, RIA Eyewear co-founder, tells me that RIA started by trying to make high-quality protective eyewear with supreme optics for the squash market. The team worked with German-based Zeiss to understand the needs for the racket sport. But when COVID hit, squash play, well, squashed to practically nothing and the outdoor racket sport market took off. 'We took what we learned on how to develop frames and lenses and worked with Zeiss to develop lens technology we thought we could apply to the tennis market,' Kemp says. The first product launched in 2020 and sold out in two months. 'We wanted to build the tennis products with the right partners, testing with athletes to deliver a product meant for the tennis community,' Kemp says. 'It was literally built from the ground up to be for tennis.' That means the frame designs have sport functionality, so they don't move and sit on the face properly. For the lenses, the brand's proprietary Court HD+ lens technology is designed to enhance the contrast of the yellow ball to help players see the ball sooner. There's also no polarization, which can impact depth perception. RIA Eyewear partners with Germany's Zeiss to create tennis-specific lenses. 'The lens tech is dialed in specifically for the demands of tennis,' Bryan says. 'Whether it's a sunny day or the light is shifting, RIA's lenses cut down glare and boost contrast so you can really lock on the ball. I've noticed I'm quicker to pick up the ball's trajectory which is a big edge, especially in doubles when everything's happening so fast.' Kemp says they played with the color science of the spectral curve to suppress blue and green color wavelengths, which allows for yellow contrast. The tint color is a brown-amber lens with a blue mirror on top to help with glare. 'Basically, we are blocking 90% of blue light in the 400 to 420 nanometer range to allow for less stress on the eye,' he says. 'It makes for more comfortable viewing.' With the lens technology sorted, RIA has focused on building frames. The first product was s shield and then they created the same tint in a dual-lens wrap. As they have built out the portfolio, frames all come with a sporty spin and tennis ready with rubber on the nose and temple pads and spring hinges. RIA now has eight frames after a spring launch of the Versa frame, the first designed to service those with a smaller face shape. RIA Eyewear sunglasses, worn by the Bryan brothers, are helping redefine sunglasses on tennis ... More courts. Bryan, a big fan of the Forte for its 'clean, sporty look that works great on court but also feels stylish off it,' says he wears them playing, coaching or just being out in the sun. Part of the allure in working with the brand for a few years is the ability to have input. 'They actually listen,' Bryan says. 'I gave feedback on frame fit and how they sit under a hat or visor, especially during long matches or in heat. Some of those tweaks made it into later versions, which I think made the product even more tennis friendly.' Kemp says that's part of what keeps RIA focused on tennis, the desire to work with top-level athletes to refine the product. 'It was always important for us to be authentic, building products from the ground up,' he says. 'In order to have that, we wanted athletes to be involved giving feedback and competing at the highest level.' Kemp says that having the Bryan brothers and Dabrowski wearing the product adds immediate credibility but also provides value to RIA when making product decisions. As RIA continues to evolve through adding new frame styles—they have three new frames in the pipeline—exploring the international market and working with a variety of racket sports, all while adding new partners (Kim Clijsters signed on in 2024), Kemp says they want to build the brand for the tennis market and be an authority in the space. Specially designed tennis-specific sunglass lenses from RIA Eyewear and Zeiss. Bryan says he now sees the benefits of sunglasses. 'What stands out most for me is the clarity and comfort,' he says. 'On court, every detail matters, the spin on the ball, the depth, your opponent's body language, and RIA helps me see it all with incredible sharpness. They're lightweight, they stay put and they don't distract me, which is huge in a fast-paced match.' He's eager to share this view with others, saying that players come up all the time asking if the sunglasses help. 'Gaby's one example, but I've had conversations with other pros, juniors, even coaches, and once they try them,' Bryan says. 'Most are surprised by how natural they feel.' Dabrowski says she appreciates there's no polarization to interfere with depth perception—especially in doubles—while still providing UVA and UVB protection. Having already developed pterygium in her left eye, optometrists have stressed the importance of eye protection when she's in the sun. 'I have also let my coaches borrow my sunglasses,' she says, 'and they love how clear they are able to see the court through the RIA lenses.' It's an entirely new view in tennis. MORE: Roger Federer And Wilson Launch RF Classics Rackets MORE: Andy Roddick On Becoming A Psycho Bunny Tennis Advisor
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Erin Routliffe, Gaby Dabrowski beaten in Wimbledon doubles
picture id="4K4JPZP_AFP__20250703__XxjpbeE007028_20250703_PEPFN0A001__v1__HighRes__SpBritainLondonTennis_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"] New Zealand tennis player Erin Routliffe and Canadian Gaby Dabrowski have been knocked out the women's doubles at Wimbledon. The pair had been hoping to go one better than beaten finalists last year, but lost in the quarterfinals to Veronika Kudermetova of Russia and Elise Mertens of Belgium, 7-5 7-6. It was a tight match, lasting one hour 43 minutes, but Kudermetova and Mertens pulled out the big points when it counted. The second seeds, Routliffe and Dabrowski took the second set to a tie-breaker but lost it 7-4 after being tied at 4-4. The pair had excelled in tiebreakers in their third round match, winning both convincingly in their 7-6 7-6 victory over Russia's Irina Khromacheva and Hungary's Fanny Stollar. They were beaten in last year's final by Czech Katerina Siniakova and American Taylor Townsend, who play their quarterfinal tomorrow. Routliffe and Dabrowski have had an interrupted season , with Dabrowski sidelined with a rib injury and Routliffe playing tournaments with other partners but with not a lot of success. They were knocked out of the first round of the French Open at Roland Garros by second seeded Italians Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini. Dabrowski and Routliffe won the 2023 US Open doubles title and in 2024 made the Australian Open semi-finals and the Wimbledon final. They finished 2024 by winning the WTA Finals in Riyadh. They reached the Australian Open semi-finals again this year and combined to win the Stuttgart Open. In the women's singles, Aryna Sabalenka was dragged into a bygone era and tormented for almost three hours on Centre Court before finally imposing her 21st-century power game to beat mesmeric Laura Siegemund for a place in the semi-finals, Reuters reported. The Belarusian needed all her powers of ball bludgeoning and belief to emerge from a befuddling battle, somehow the victor, 4-6 6-2 6-4. For much of the spell-binding contest it looked as though the world number one would find no answers to Siegemund's sorcery as the 37-year-old German veteran chipped, chopped and drop-shotted the world's best player to pieces, leaving the top seed's power game neutered on the turf. Ranked a lowly 104 in the world, Siegemund drew on the game of a gentler age to bring low the mighty Belarusian, casting spells of slice and sleight with vintage flair. But slowly, if not exactly surely, the 10 years younger and seemingly stronger Sabalenka managed to wrestle back the upper hand, and now plays American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova, who beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, for a place in Sunday's final. Anisimova collapsed flat on her face in sheer relief after she survived an astonishing and unexpected fightback from Pavlyuchenkova to secure a 6-1 7-6 (9) victory and reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time. Anisimova was leading 6-1 5-2 when Pavlyuchenkova won three games on the trot, saving two match points in the process in the 10th game, including hitting a gutsy dropshot winner that completely caught Anisimova by surprise. Anisimova somehow saved all five set points against her before finally sealing victory when Pavlyuchenkova netted a service return on her opponent's fourth match point. Carlos Alcaraz is through to the semifinals. Photo: Photosport Carlos Alcaraz had warned that facing Cameron Norrie could be a nightmare. For a fleeting moment on Wednesday, it looked like the defending Wimbledon champion might be in for a fright. The Spaniard stumbled early, trailing 0-40 in his opening service game on Centre Court. Any chance of an upset, however, was swiftly dashed as Alcaraz roared to a commanding 6-2 6-3 6-3 quarter-final victory -- one that should send a shudder down the spine of anyone hoping to dethrone him, Reuters reported. With hundreds of empty seats at the start -- fans still trickling back after Sabalenka's drawn-out quarter-final -- Alcaraz wasted no time asserting his dominance. By the time the crowd returned to rally behind Britain's last remaining singles hope, the second seed had blazed through the first set in 28 minutes, dazzling with his trademark blend of power and flair. Norrie, unseeded and unorthodox, did his best to resist. He even raised his arms in mock celebration after holding serve late in the third set. But the outcome was never in doubt. Alcaraz, now on a 23-match winning streak, was simply too good. Alcaraz's eighth Grand Slam semi-final will be against American Taylor Fritz but before he continues his quest for a third successive Wimbledon title he has two days off owing to the All England Club schedule. He would probably prefer to get straight back on court, such is the momentum he is building. When asked how he would use the time, one wag in the crowd suggested he could return to the Ibiza, the Balearic party island where he let his hair down after his second successive French Open title last month. A beaming Alcaraz said something more sedate would suffice. "I might try to go to the city centre if I have time. I want to play some golf with my team which will be fun," he said. "What I have been doing so far has worked so we will try to switch off together." Fifth seed Fritz reached the semi-finals for the first time after coming through a topsy-turvy four-setter against Karen Khachanov where the American seemed to be cruising, but then had to show all his fighting spirit. Fritz eventually triumphed 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-6 (4) but must have thought he was in for an easier passage as he ripped through the first two sets. Russia's Khachanov, the 17th seed, also seeking a first Wimbledon semi, then won eight of the next nine games to take the third set and move a break up in the fourth. Fritz, however, regrouped to immediately break back, regain control of his service, and triumph in the decisive tiebreak. - RNZ Sport / Reuters
CNN
21-04-2025
- Health
- CNN
After her breast cancer diagnosis, Gaby Dabrowski found unexpected ‘joy' – and success – on the tennis court
Gaby Dabrowski enjoyed some of the most memorable victories of her tennis career last year, and did it all while quietly navigating a personal health crisis. It was only on New Year's Eve that Dabrowski, one of the world's top doubles players, revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in April. Suddenly, everything she had achieved throughout 2024 – an Olympic bronze medal in mixed doubles and her victory at the season-ending WTA Finals – was cast in a new light, instantly more remarkable than it first appeared. At one point in her recovery, just two weeks before the start of the grass-court season, Dabrowski couldn't even toss the ball into the air for a serve. Unable to lift her left arm high enough, she instead got her coach to throw it up for her during practice sessions. But fast-forward a couple of months and the Canadian was in Paris with an Olympic bronze medal around her neck, finally celebrating a childhood dream fulfilled. Arguably more impressive was that Dabrowski and partner Erin Routliffe had been runners-up in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon just a few weeks before, all while the 32-year-old had put further cancer treatment on hold to continue competing. The success, Dabrowski thinks, came alongside a change in perspective brought about by her cancer diagnosis – a new and welcome appreciation for the life she was leading. 'I really felt like it was such a cool thing to be able to play tennis as my profession, and I felt very grateful for the opportunity to be able to do that,' she tells CNN Sports. 'What I noticed is the results that I had last year didn't come because I wanted them, they came because I was enjoying what I was doing … really finding this joy in an achievement that came not from dreaming about it at night necessarily, but from sticking to my process of how I wanted to improve my tennis.' This was especially true during the Paris Olympics, when Dabrowski endured a period of bad health on her way to winning bronze in the mixed doubles alongside Félix Auger-Aliassime. That tournament was never centered around getting a medal; it was about simply getting through 'a couple of really tough days,' Dabrowski says. 'Honestly, I went to sleep thinking about how I was going to survive the next day,' she adds. 'What I was going to try to eat, hopefully I would sleep well, and if I didn't, how I would manage that. I broke things down into very small, achievable wins … And then a good result came.' Dabrowski's cancer journey really began in the spring of 2023 when she noticed a lump in her left breast. A doctor around that time told her not to worry about it, so she didn't. However, during a physical provided by the WTA, the governing body of women's tennis, the following year, another doctor encouraged Dabrowski to get the lump scanned. What came next felt like a whirlwind: a mammogram, an ultrasound, then a call from the radiologist urging her to get a biopsy immediately. 'It turned grim very quickly,' says Dabrowski. But it equally didn't take long for things to become more positive. 'I eventually got good news after good news after good news in terms of my staging, the size of the tumor, my Oncotype DX scoring which determines if you need chemo or not,' she adds. 'I didn't need chemo because my score was low enough and I didn't have any spread through my lymph nodes. So I kind of was just in this mode of: 'Okay, this was scary, but I'm also super grateful that I'm handling this quickly and I'm still at an early stage.'' The WTA, backed by medical technology company Hologic, offers annual health screenings for players on the Tour, which this year took place at the ongoing Miami Open. They examine, among other things, body composition, bone density, pelvic health, mental health, and Ob-Gyn issues like fertility and postpartum recovery. Players are also offered blood work, skin checks, cardiology tests and internal medicine with Mayo Clinic physicians. 'We have not a lot of time when we're traveling – let alone being able to see our doctors, being able to get checkups,' world No. 4 Jessica Pegula told CNN en Español's Elizabeth Pérez at the Miami Open. 'Our schedule's so all over the place so being able to come here and to do that before a tournament is great.' Pegula also said that she had spoken to women's health specialists through the WTA about the option to freeze her eggs. 'I'm 31,' she explained, 'so that's something that interested me, knowing that I don't really know what I'm going to do, but the window of having a kid gets smaller and smaller as you get older.' As for Dabrowski, she feels grateful to have such resources at her disposal, ultimately leading to her early-stage diagnosis. Now, she wants to help spread awareness for breast cancer – a big reason for sharing her story when she did. 'I really wanted women to be able to know that, even though something like cancer is scary, if you get whatever you have checked out early, and you can handle it, breast cancer has a 99% chance of survival,' says Dabrowski. 'And that was the first messaging that I saw on the flyer when I walked into the office for my mammogram: breast cancer is 99% survivable.' The past year in Dabrowski's life also demonstrates how it is possible to thrive, and not just survive, during intense treatment for health issues. Cancer became curiously intertwined with her tennis career, providing added motivation to get back on the court with a new appreciation for the sport 'In the beginning, I wasn't sure what my future would hold, not just in tennis, but my life in general,' she says. 'I didn't know if I was able to play again, when that would be, what my schedule might look like; would I have to play fewer tournaments? What would that mean for my ranking, my position financially? 'But then over time, I would say probably a month and a half after my diagnosis when I'd had a lot of answers to a lot of the questions I had about coming back to play, I really had this itch to want to return.' The cancer diagnosis has forced Dabrowski to take care of her body with meticulous attention to detail. That means making incremental improvements to her diet – avoiding sugar, processed foods, and anything that might cause inflammation – her sleep, and her physiotherapy. Dabrowski has always taken tennis seriously and always will for the duration of her career. But while dialing in on how she treats her body, she's noticed a new, almost liberating, mindset appear – one that allows her to approach the game in a more positive and forgiving way. Now, winning still feels good but the losses don't hurt quite as much as they used to. 'Although tennis has been all-encompassing from a very young age for me, I don't feel like it's the number one thing about who I am as a person, and I no longer attach my identity to my performance,' Dabrowski says to CNN. 'I'm able to take this life a little bit lighter, I feel like that's where good results come; and even if they don't come, I'm okay with them.' That's a special position to be in, especially when you consider that Dabrowski, around about this time last year, thought that she might never be able to play tennis again. But she's back on the court now, appreciating the life of a professional athlete more than ever before.
CNN
30-03-2025
- Sport
- CNN
How a cancer diagnosis changed tennis player Gaby Dabrowski's perspective
Canadian tennis player Gaby Dabrowski speaks to CNN Sports about her breast cancer diagnosis, which didn't stop her from achieving an incredible string of results last year.
CNN
26-03-2025
- Sport
- CNN
How a cancer diagnosis changed tennis player Gaby Dabrowski's perspective
Canadian tennis player Gaby Dabrowski speaks to CNN Sports about her breast cancer diagnosis, which didn't stop her from achieving an incredible string of results last year.
