Aug 20, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Sara Errani of Italy and Andrea Vavassori of Italy pose with the winner’s trophy after their victory over Casper Ruud of Norway and Ina Swiatek of Poland who pose with the runner up’s trophy after the final of the mixed doubles tournament at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images

tennis

Sara Errani Fires Veiled Shots at New US Open 2025 Mixed Doubles Format After Memorable Win

From the onset of the tournament, Sara Errani and her partner Andrea Vavassori were seemingly going to have the final say at the 2025 US Open. The two had vehemently opposed the reimagined format for the mixed doubles event for prioritizing singles stars over double players. When it was first announced, Errani and Vavassori called it a “profound injustice,” and have now come up with bigger statements after successfully defending their titles in the 2025 Mixed Doubles Championship.

Sara Errani And Andrea Vavassori Win It All for Doubles Players

On August 20, Errani and Vavassori defeated Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud in a thrilling final on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 6-3, 5-7 scoreline was polished off by an amazing 10-point tiebreaker (10-6). Certainly, it gave this polarizing edition of the US Open mixed doubles event a memorable end. However, Errani and Vavassori were fighting for more than just a Grand Slam. Their post-match comments show that the Italians were here to prove the importance of doubles players to the world.

Italians Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori take home the Mixed Doubles trophy 🔥🇮🇹

↳ US Open Mixed Doubles. Every Match. Live & Exclusive.#StanSportAU #USOpen pic.twitter.com/PELGGUc0au
— Stan Sport (@StanSportAU) August 21, 2025

“I think this one is for all the doubles players that couldn’t play this tournament,” Errani declared. “I think this one is also for them.” The reimagined event was always going to be a tough sell for players. The shortened 16-team tournament had made it difficult for most doubles players to enter. On top of that, the top seeds being given to big stars had also limited their chances. However, after this win, Vavassori took a moment to explain why he wishes the doubles game got more attention.

“We showed today that doubles is a great product. I think in the future we need more marketing and visibility,” Vavassori said. “This product is something that can also work in the future. It was amazing to play on this court with so many people,” the champ explained. At the end of the day, it was the doubles players who won the event and received the $1 million cash prize. But is this format here to stay?

Could the Controversial New Format Continue In Its Present Form?

While the new format was always going to be an interesting sell, for many, it was necessary. Tennis has long had a doubles problem – lower prize money, media coverage, and overall lack of fan interest. The US Open organizers noticed how the team-ups of big singles stars used to get more attention, and it naturally went on an overdrive this year. Instead of having the event run parallel with other events, they shifted the mixed doubles to the Fan Week.

Iga Swiatek to Casper Ruud after their loss in the mixed doubles US Open final

“I want to thank the tournament for the opportunity for us to play when we could. We always focus on singles but now we had the opportunity to play mixed together. I really enjoyed it. Thanks Casper… pic.twitter.com/p7oSfk0UwI
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 21, 2025

Additionally, the organizers announced a $1 million prize money – a whopping $800k more than in 2024. Although the move certainly attracted top stars, it led to doubles specialists being ignored. As most noted, while the singles stars looked to have fun at the “exhibition”, it was a big blow to players who spent months and years working for this Grand Slam. The fact that it generated a whole lot of buzz, and culminated with a doubles pairing capturing the crown, was fitting.

While the future of this event is still up in the air, one hopes that this win leads to more doubles players being able to participate in future events.

Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images

Andrea Vavassori

ATP

Sara Errani

Tennis

US Open 2025

US Open Mixed Doubles

WTA

Sanskar Dubey

A passionate sports fan since childhood, it was always my dream to cover the peak of human potential. Baseball, Tennis, and Football (or Soccer) have been closest to my heart. From Rafael Nadal’s never-say-die attitude to Roger Federer’s beautiful backhand, I’ve seen it all. Prior to the Playoffs, I’ve worked in EssentiallySports and Pro Football and Sports Network.