Defending mixed doubles champs take aim at singles stars after likes of Alcaraz, Fritz crash out of US Open event

Hindustan Times

13 hours ago

The revamped US Open mixed doubles tournament has attracted a flurry of star names to the draw, but the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Emma Raducanu, and Taylor Fritz are historically singles specialists who are only trying their hand at the doubles court. Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori are the standard-bearers for doubles specialists at the US Open's new tournament.(REUTERS)
The replacement of the traditional mixed doubles tournament with this new format, which sees the sixteen-team event take place the week before the official start of the tournament, has been a contentious one. In particular, it has earned criticism from doubles specialists, who have made a career out of these events and suddenly had one grand slam event taken off the calendar in favour of singles stars.
The only true full doubles pairing to receive one of the eight wildcard spots was the Italian duo of Sara Errani and Andrea Vassavori, and they certainly made their doubles colleagues proud. They first knocked out Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina, two of the top singles players on their respective tours, followed by Andrey Rublev and Karolina Muchova, reaching the semifinals.
After these victories, Vassavori didn't hesitate from pointing out that doubles is very different to singles tennis, and hinting at the disrespect modern doubles specialists feel at such a decision being taken.
'I think the tactic in doubles is very important. They are amazing players, we all know that, but in doubles, I think also the combination of the two players [is important]. We know each other so well, we are playing a lot of tournaments together,' explained Vassavori, who has won two grand slam tournaments alongside Errani, including last year's US Open, which earned them this wildcard berth.
'We talk a lot also outside of the court about tactics, we love to challenge each other also on the practice courts, so I think it is very important. We're also playing for all the doubles players that could not compete here, so we tried to do our best,' said Vassavori, taking a jab at the organisers.
Vavassori-Errani clap back after 'disrespect' to doubles players
Vavassori and Errani are certainly the standard-bearers for doubles: Errani in particular is a five-time women's doubles grand slam champion, and following her success with Jasmine Paolini in Paris last year an Olympic gold medallist as well.
Following the news of the revamp, the pair of Vassavori and Errani had penned an open letter which voiced their disappointment at the event being changed in such a manner, 'completely turned upside down, cancelled and replaced with a pseudo-exhibition focused only on entertainment and show.'
They also went as far as to claim that not giving them a chance to defend their title was 'a profound injustice, that disrespects an entire category of players,' almost forcing the USTA's hand into booking one of the wilcard slots for the pair.
Vavassori and Errani are the players with the most doubles pedigree left in the draw, while their semifinal opponents Danielle Collins and men's doubles specialist Christian Harrison also fly the flag on that front. However, the other semifinal does have some singles star power, with Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud looking like the team to beat as they go up against the Jack Draper-Jessica Pegula 'Dragula' team.