Errani and Vavassori win revamped US Open mixed doubles to defend their title

NEW YORK (AP) — Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori weren't even sure they would get to defend their U.S. Open mixed doubles title. Organizers revamped the tournament because they wanted singles superstars, not doubles specialists.

They not only made it back to New York, they made it back to the top.

The Italians beat No. 3 seeds Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud 6-3, 5-7 (10-6) on Wednesday night, winning four matches over two days to earn $1 million— a huge raise over their earnings in New York last year in a format that looked nothing like this one.

Errani and Vavassori were among the many critics of the changes to the event that shut out every other traditional doubles pairing, but had nothing but smiles — and plenty of hugs — after building a quick lead in the match tiebreaker and holding on in front of a large crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I think it was important for us to play,” Vavassori said. “Like, I have to say the initiative was also important because it was really a statement that doubles can become something better. The stadium was packed. The people were enjoying it. If something doesn’t work — like, we showed today that it’s working. Like, the people were going crazy.”

It was a setting rarely enjoyed by doubles players and what U.S. Open organizers sought when they overhauled their tournament, moving it to well before singles play starts Sunday in hopes that tennis' best-known players would play.

Many of them did. But in the end, the event belonged to the doubles duo.

Eight teams in the 16-team field qualified by their players’ combined singles rankings, with the remaining teams given wild cards. Errani doubted the Italians were going to get one.

They eventually did and became the first repeat mixed doubles champions in Flushing Meadows since Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jamie Murray in 2018-19. Both repeatedly said they were representing the many doubles players who never had the chance to come to New York with them this year.

“I think this one is also for them,” Errani said.

The event drew past U.S. Open singles champions Carlos Alcaraz, Emma Raducanu, Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka and Daniil Medvedev, all of whom lost on the first day. Even without them, almost all the seats were full for the three matches Wednesday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium, with the roof closed after it rained most of the afternoon.

Ruud acknowledged that the U.S. Tennis Association took a bold risk with its changes, with critics saying it turned the championship, with shortened sets to 4 games in the first three rounds, into a glorified exhibition, rather than the two-week, 32-event of the past. But even players who specialize in doubles agreed that the event got way more attention than they are accustomed to.

“Any time you get a full crowd like this, how can we keep that going?” Christian Harrison said after he and Danielle Collins lost 4-2, 4-2 to Errani and Vavassori in the semis. “I mean, unreal night. I won’t forget this night.”

Swiatek and Ruud edged the top-seeded team of Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper 3-5, 5-3 (10-8) in the other semifinal, battling back from an 8-4 deficit in the match tiebreaker.

The No. 2-ranked Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam singles champion, and Ruud, who has reached three major singles finals, then played well in the final.

But they couldn’t match the doubles prowess of the Italians, who won a second major title together at this year’s French Open. Vavassori, with his height and constant movement around the net, was a hard target to pass even for Swiatek and Ruud, two accurate ball strikers from the baseline.

“I think in doubles we showed it's very important know how to play doubles,” Errani said. “In doubles it's not just serving good, hitting good, returning good. There are many other things that are not easy.”

Errani is one of the most accomplished women’s doubles players ever, having won a career Grand Slam with former partner Roberta Vinci, along with the 2024 Olympic gold medal with Jasmine Paolini — who was in the crowd cheering after pulling out of this event after losing to Swiatek on Monday night in the Cincinnati final.

Swiatek opted to stay in and shared $400,000 with Ruud — double what Errani and Vavassori earned for winning last year.

Andrea Vavassori, right, of Italy, and Sara Errani, left, of Italy, hold up the championship trophy after defeating Iga Swiatek, of Poland, and Casper Ruud, of Norway, in the mixed doubles final at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Andrea Vavassori, left, of Italy, and Sara Errani, of Italy, hold up the championship trophy after defeating Iga Swiatek, of Poland, and Casper Ruud, of Norway, in the mixed doubles final at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Sara Errani, right, of Italy, and Andrea Vavassori, of Italy, embrace after winning the mixed doubles semifinal at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Casper Ruud, right, of Norway, and Iga Swiatek, left, of Poland, reacts during the mixed doubles final at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Casper Ruud, right, of Norway, plays with Iga Swiatek, left, of Poland, during the mixed doubles final at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Sara Errani, right, of Italy, plays with Andrea Vavassori, left, of Italy, during the mixed doubles final at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Sara Errani, left, of Italy, and Andrea Vavassori, of Italy, celebrate after winning the mixed doubles semifinal at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Iga Swiatek, right, of Poland, reacts during the mixed doubles semi final at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Casper Ruud, right, of Norway, plays with Iga Swiatek, left, of Poland, during the mixed doubles semi final at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Sara Errani, right and Andrea Vavassori, left both, of Italy, talk during the mixed doubles semi final at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Iga Swiatek, right of Poland, and Casper Ruud, left, of Norway, wave at fans after winning the mixed doubles semi final at the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A judge made no immediate decision Wednesday on Minnesota's request to suspend the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in the state, where federal agents have yanked people from cars and confronted angry bystanders demanding they pack up and leave.

Plumes of tear gas, the deployment of chemical irritants and the screech of protest whistles have become common on the streets of Minneapolis, especially since an immigration agent fatally shot Renee Good in the head on Jan. 7 as she drove away.

“What we need most of all right now is a pause. The temperature needs to be lowered," state Assistant Attorney General Brian Carter said during the first hearing in a lawsuit filed by Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez promised to keep the case “on the front burner” and gave the U.S. Justice Department until Monday to file a response to the request for a restraining order. Local leaders say the government is violating free speech and other constitutional rights with the surge of law enforcement.

Menendez said the state and cities will have a few more days to respond.

“It is simply recognition that these are grave and important matters,” the judge said of the timetable, noting there are few legal precedents to apply to some of the key points in the case.

Justice Department attorney Andrew Warden suggested the slower approach set by Menendez was appropriate.

The judge is also handling a separate lawsuit challenging the tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal officers when encountering protesters and observers. A decision could be released this week.

The Department of Homeland Security says it has made more than 2,000 arrests in the state since early December and is vowing to not back down. The Pentagon is preparing to send military lawyers to Minneapolis to assist, CNN reported.

“What we see right now is discrimination taking place only on the basis of race: Are you Latino or are you Somali? And then it is indiscriminate thereafter,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told Fox News. “In other words, they are pulling people off the streets. They have pulled U.S. citizens off the streets and you don’t need to take my word for it at this point. This has been very well documented."

The president of Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota said four tribal members were detained while at a homeless camp in Minnesota last week. Three remained in custody late Tuesday.

“Enrolled tribal members are citizens of the United States by statute and citizens of the Oglala Sioux Nation by treaty,” said tribe President Frank Star Comes Out, who demanded their release.

Associated Press reporters Ed White in Detroit and Graham Lee Brewer in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, contributed.

Federal officers stand guard after detaining people outside of Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)

People visits a makeshift memorial for Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)

A person is detained by federal agents near the scene where Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)