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."

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