Sara Errani, Andrea Vavassori retain US Open mixed doubles title in revamped event
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Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani celebrate with their trophy after defeating Iga Swiatek of Poland and Casper Ruud during the US Open mixed doubles final.
PHOTO: AFP
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NEW YORK – In the end, it was experience and chemistry that won the day and not the star names.
Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori retained their US Open mixed doubles title on Aug 20, beating Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud to claim the US$1 million (S$1.3 million) top prize in the new-look competition that kicked off action at the last Grand Slam of the year.
The Italians capped two days of intense work in the 16-team event with a 6-3, 5-7, 10-6 victory over Swiatek and Ruud – who were among a slew of singles stars drawn not only by the big purse, but also by the chance to contest mixed doubles before singles action begins on Aug 24.
Poland’s Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion ranked second in the world, battled through an almost two-hour tussle with Jasmine Paolini to win the Cincinnati Open on Aug 18, then hotfooted it to New York to team up with Norway’s Ruud in the revamped competition.
Carlos Alcaraz, the men’s champion in Cincinnati, also turned out but he and British playing partner Emma Raducanu were eliminated in the first round, as was superstar Novak Djokovic, who played with fellow Serb Olga Danilovic.
The star names drew big crowds but the chemistry between Italians Errani and Vavassori, cultivated over a two-year on-court partnership that also saw them win the 2025 French Open title, proved decisive.
Errani hoped it showed that committed doubles teams – many of whom were shut out of the field – have plenty to offer.
“I think this one is also for all the doubles players that couldn’t play this tournament,” she said as she and Vavassori accepted the trophy. “I think this one is also for them.”
Errani, 38, and Vavassori, 30, roared to a 4-1 lead in the opening set of the championship match and after Swiatek, 24, and Ruud, 26, regained one break, closed it on a confident hold from Vavassori.
Down a break at 4-5 in the second, Swiatek and Ruud won three straight games to force the 10-point match tiebreak. The Italians grabbed a 4-0 lead in the tiebreak and held on.
“Congratulations,” Swiatek said at the trophy presentation. “You proved that, I guess, mixed doubles players are smarter tactically than singles players.
“But we pushed until the end. We tried to make it competitive.”
Ruud added: “Congrats to Sara and Andrea. I guess there was some pressure on you guys when you came in being somewhat the favourites. You delivered. You played amazing. You fully deserve it.”
The first three rounds – including the semi-finals also played on Aug 20 – were played with short sets with no-advantage scoring and a 10-point match tiebreak in lieu of a third set, before the final reverted to traditional sets with a 10-point match tiebreak.
Swiatek and Ruud had clawed their way past top seeds Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper with a 3-5, 5-3, (10-8) semi-final victory, winning the last six points to advance.
Errani and Vavassori romped past the American duo Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison 4-2, 4-2 to reach the final.
Vavassori admitted that he and Errani were on a “mission” to prove themselves against the singles stars.
But both relished the electric atmosphere under the lights at the jam-packed Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“It’s the court where I feel goosebumps every time here,” Errani said. Vavassori also enjoyed the atmosphere and thanked organisers for putting mixed doubles in the spotlight.
“I have to say that we showed today that doubles is a great product,” he said. “We are doing something in these two years... amazing. I think it was amazing to play on this court with so many people and I have to say thanks from the bottom of my heart for the atmosphere.”
AFP, REUTERS
