In a thrilling display of tennis prowess, Italian duo Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori clinched their first Grand Slam mixed doubles title at the U.S. Open on Thursday. They defeated the unseeded all-American pair of Taylor Townsend and Donald Young with a straight-sets victory of 7-6(0), 7-5, ending the Americans’ remarkable run in the tournament.
The victory marks a significant milestone for Errani, a five-time women’s doubles Grand Slam champion, and Vavassori. This triumph comes in only their third major tournament together, following their appearances at Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics.
“It’s very special; it’s a dream come true for me to accomplish this with Sara,” Vavassori expressed after the match. “She’s an amazing person and player. I always watched her during her career. It was amazing to play with her at Wimbledon, the Olympics, and here. We had fun.”
The match was a showcase of skill and determination. Errani and Vavassori drew first blood, taking a 6-5 lead in the first set as Townsend sent a backhand long. However, the Americans fought back immediately, breaking serve to force a tiebreaker. The Italian pair dominated the tiebreaker, winning it decisively and building momentum for the second set.
Buoyed by their confidence, Errani and Vavassori broke early in the second set to lead 3-1. Townsend and Young demonstrated great spirit, breaking back to level the score at 4-4. Yet, the Italians’ resilience proved decisive as they broke in the final game to secure the championship.
The defeat was bittersweet for Townsend and Young, whose partnership dates back to their childhood days. They had previously reached the semifinals at Flushing Meadows in 2014. With 35-year-old Young announcing his retirement from tennis to pursue pickleball, the final marked the end of an era for the duo.
“We were a step short, but this is a dream come true for me,” Young reflected. “Taylor is like a little sister. I’ve grown up playing Monopoly, bullying her, having fun. To play alongside her in the final of the U.S. Open is great. Congrats to Sara and Andrea; it was awesome.”
For Townsend, the tournament concluded with mixed emotions. She also reached the semifinals of the women’s doubles alongside Katerina Siniaková, where they lost to Zhang Shuai and Kristina Mladenovic. Townsend and her Czech partner had previously won the women’s doubles title at Wimbledon earlier this year.
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Errani, Vavassori win 1st Grand Slam mixed doubles title at U.S. Open
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