In a thrilling display of skill and teamwork, Italians Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori clinched their first Grand Slam mixed doubles title at the U.S. Open, defeating the unseeded American duo Taylor Townsend and Donald Young with a score of 7-6(0), 7-5.
This victory marks a significant milestone for Errani, a five-time women’s doubles Grand Slam champion, and Vavassori, as it is their third major tournament together following their performances at Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics.
Vavassori expressed his joy, saying, \"It's very special, it's a dream come true for me to accomplish this thing with Sara. She's an amazing person and player. It was amazing to play with her in Wimbledon and the Olympics and here, we had fun.\"
The match was intense from the start, with the Italian pair taking an early 6-5 lead. Despite Townsend’s backhand error forcing a tiebreaker, Errani and Vavassori dominated the tiebreak, boosting their confidence for the second set. They continued their momentum by breaking early, leading 3-1.
Although Townsend and Young rallied to level the score at 4-4, the Italians regained control and secured the win in the final game. This defeat marks the end of a long-standing partnership for Townsend and Young, who have been competing together since childhood. Young, 35, announced his retirement from tennis to pursue a career in pickleball.
Young reflected on the journey, stating, \"We were a step short, but this is a dream come true for me. Taylor is like a little sister, I've grown up playing Monopoly, bullying her, having fun. To play next to her in the final of the U.S. Open is great. Congrats to Sara and Andrea, it was awesome.\"
Despite the loss, Townsend had a commendable run, also reaching the semifinals of the women's doubles with Katerina Siniakova and winning the women's doubles title at Wimbledon this year with her Czech partner.
Reference(s):
Errani, Vavassori win 1st Grand Slam mixed doubles title at U.S. Open
cgtn.com
