US Open mixed doubles star publicly takes swipe at tournament organisers after victory

Andrea Vavassori took aim at US Open organisers for not allowing doubles players to enter the revamped mixed doubles event after getting a win with Sara Errani on Tuesday. The tournament has been given an overhaul this year, being played over two days in the week before the US Open gets underway.

Up until the final, a shorter, fast-four scoring format is being used. Entries are based on singles rankings, and only 16 teams are in the draw. Vavassori and Errani won the regular mixed doubles title last year and received a wildcard into the reimagined tournament. They're the only doubles specialist team in the field.

And they proved that experience triumphs entertainment value, beating top-10 singles players Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina 4-2 4-2 in just 42 minutes on Tuesday, becoming the first match winners of the mixed doubles.

And Vavassori, the current world No. 13 in the ATP doubles rankings, made a subtle dig at the new format, saying they were competing on behalf of the doubles players who could not enter the tournament.

"I think the tactic in doubles is very important. They are amazing players, we all know that," the Italian told the fans on the Louis Armstrong Stadium.

"But in doubles, I think also the combination of the two players, we know each other so well, we are playing a lot of tournaments together.

"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."

Errani and Vavassori will have a quick turnaround before their quarter-final match. Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka have just taken to the court to face Karolina Muchova and Andrey Rublev. The winner of that match will then face the Italian duo almost immediately.

Asked how they would prepare for their next match, Vavassori added: "We will cool down right now, we will watch a bit, talk about it with our team. My father and Pablo are amazing also in doing the tactics so we'll enjoy this victory and get ready for the next one."

Errani, the world No. 4 in doubles, told the fans: "We are very happy I mean to have the opportunity to play with Andrea is always so fun I'm enjoying so much playing with him so really happy. We did, I think, a good match today!"

The Italian also encouraged the fans in New York to cheer them on in the quarter-final. "We say forza," she told the crowd.

Meanwhile, on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Caty McNally and Lorenzo Musetti beat Naomi Osaka and Gael Monfils 5-3 4-2. The likes of Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz, and Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe, will also be in action.

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