Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori won the US Open mixed doubles title in a surprise twist, beating No. 3 seeds Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud 6-3, 5-7 (10-6) on Wednesday night. The Italians, who were among critics of the tournament’s format change, overcame a strong opponent to claim their second major title together.
The tournament, which featured eight teams in the 16-team field, was revamped to attract singles superstars and moved forward to avoid singles play starting Sunday. Many top players participated, including US Open singles champions Carlos Alcaraz, Emma Raducanu, Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka, and Daniil Medvedev.
Despite criticism from some that the format change made the event feel like an exhibition, Errani and Vavassori enjoyed a huge crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The duo played well, particularly in the match tiebreaker, to hold on for the win.
Swiatek and Ruud, who had won two major titles earlier this year, were unable to overcome the Italians’ strong doubles play. “In doubles, it’s not just serving good or hitting good,” Errani said. The win earned them $1 million, a significant raise from last year’s event.
Source: https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/46035214/sara-errani-andrea-vavassori-defend-us-open-mixed-doubles-title-revamped-format