Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori dedicate win to snubbed doubles specialists after defending US Open crown in star-studded new-look tournament
Published 21/08/2025 at 08:37 GMT+1
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Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori dedicated their win to the players they felt were overlooked after retaining their US Open mixed doubles title. The Italians beat Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud in the final of the revamped event to claim the $1 million prize. The tournament format was changed for 2025 to feature more singles stars in the lead-up to the main draw action.
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Video credit: SNTV
Italian duo Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori defended their US Open mixed doubles crown after a thrilling final against Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud - and dedicated their win to all the players they felt were unfairly left out of the revamped event.
In a bid to increase the tournament’s appeal, half the entries into the 16-team event were based on singles rankings, with the other eight made up of wildcards.
Among the star-studded pairings, Carlos Alcaraz teamed up with Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper partnered Jessica Pegula, but it was the reigning champions who triumphed.
"I think this one is for all the doubles players that couldn't play this tournament. I think this one is also for them," Errani told a packed-out Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Her partner Vavassori said: "We showed today that doubles is a great product. I think in the future we need more marketing and visibility.
"I think this product is something that can also work in the future. It was amazing to play on this court with so many people. I have to say thanks from the bottom of my heart for the atmosphere."
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Errani and Vavassori were the only doubles specialists to receive a wildcard and used their nous to defeat all in their path.
They raced into a 3-0 lead in the opening set against Swiatek and Ruud, who beat Draper and Pegula in a tight semi-final.
Swiatek and Ruud responded to get back on serve before being broken again in the eighth game of the match as Errani and Vavassori took a one-set advantage.
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Errani and Vavassori then looked set to complete a comfortable win when they served for the match at 5-3 up in the second, only for Swiatek and Ruud to reel off four games in a row and force a deciding tie-break.
But it went the way of the Italians, who won it 10-6 to capture the $1 million (ÂŁ743,000) prize.
Vavassori admitted the "initiative is something good for the sport", although both he and his partner would like to see the format tweaked going forward.
"In the future we have to give the best doubles players to compete," Vavassori added.
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