WHAT HAPPENED: “Forza!”
Italians Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori completed their run through the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship presented by Vital Proteins by defeating No. 3 seeds Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud in a captivating final, 6-3, 5-7, [10-6], inside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday night. Not only does the win mark back-to-back championships in Flushing Meadows for the Italians, it also adds to their 2025 Grand Slam haul after their Roland Garros title this spring.
“We are doing something in these two years [together] that’s amazing,” Vavassori said during the trophy ceremony, before addressing his partner. “I have to say thank you for your energy on the court. It’s like family to play with you.”
The champions will be rewarded with a $1 million winners' check along with the first Grand Slam trophy of the 2025 US Open.
Errani and Vavassori came out firing just 20 minutes after winning the second semifinal match earlier in the evening against Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison. (Swiatek and Ruud played in the first semifinal, a win over top seeds Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper.)
The sold-out crowd inside Ashe for all three matches on Wednesday evening highlighted the success and appeal of the new-look, two-day showcase that concluded with, by far, the most thrilling match of the tournament.
It appeared that Errani and Vavassori were cruising to a successful title defense after breaking Swiatek in the seventh game of the second set for a 4-3 advantage. The lead grew to 5-3, but then Swiatek and Ruud reeled off the final four games of the set, breaking the Italians on back-to-back service games after the defending champs faced one break point in the entire match before that.
In the match tiebreak, Errani and Vavassori won the first four points and, again, looked to be cruising to victory as both were bouncing around after each point won. But Swiatek and Ruud would not go away, winning four of the next five points to reel it back to 5-4.
Undeterred, Errani and Vavassori never lost the lead they built early in the match tiebreak, and the emotions poured out from the Italians after winning on their second championship point, with Vavassori lifting Errani in the air before she shed tears as they embraced.
“I’m enjoying so much playing with you. It’s a pleasure for me to be by your side,” Errani said. “It’s always so special. We’re sharing these moments that are unforgettable, so I’m really happy to share them with you.”
Not a bad opening act to the 2025 US Open!
WHAT IT MEANS: The 38-year-old Errani showed no signs of slowing down on the court as she claimed her ninth career major title in doubles, her third in mixed. That also puts her on the precipice of joining an esteemed list: In the Open Era, 20 women have won at least 10 Grand Slam doubles titles when combining the women’s and mixed disciplines. Of course, Errani has a little ways to go to catch the leader, Martina Navratilova, and her 41 combined doubles Grand Slam tournament crowns.
MATCH POINT: Though all four participants had competed for a Grand Slam title on Arthur Ashe Stadium even before tonight’s matchup, Flushing Meadows is not the only site where that statement rings true. Errani and Vavassori won their second career mixed doubles championship earlier this year at Roland Garros, where Swiatek is a four-time singles champion (2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024) and former women’s doubles runner-up (2021), while Ruud is a two-time singles finalist in Paris (2022, 2023).
