US Open mixed doubles champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori on Wednesday said they hope they have earned respect for their event after overcoming a field packed with singles stars to defend their title.
The Italians held off six-time Grand Slam singles winner Iga Swiatek and three-time major finalist Casper Ruud 6-3, 5-7, 10-6 in the final in front of a raucous crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
It was hardly the scene fans have come to expect of the event, which is often lost in a schedule dominated by singles action, as organizers moved the competition to its own place on the calendar during the week before the singles main draw.
Photo: AP
“These two days will be really important for doubles in the future,” Vavassori said. “We showed that doubles players are great players and this product can grow.”
Organizers overhauled the format to feature eight entries based on combined singles rankings and eight wild cards, a move that produced a star-studded lineup and sent attendances surging, but prompted an outcry from several top doubles players.
“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.”
Photo: Reuters
Errani and Vavassori, who needed a wild-card entry despite being the defending champions, were among the critics and said they had been skeptical over whether organizers would extend an invite to them.
The pair, who walked away with a hefty US$1 million prize, have repeatedly said that they were playing for their fellow doubles players who did not get a place in the draw.
“We were the team that could lose everything,” Vavassori said. “If we lose against [Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina in the first round], would not have been good a spot for doubles. I think everyone was thinking we would have lost against them.”
“So to prove they were wrong, it’s something that was important for us,” he said.
Additional reporting by AFP
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