US OPEN

August 21, 2025

Sara Errani

Andrea Vavassori

Press Conference

ERRANI-VAVASSORI/Swiatek-Ruud

6-3, 5-7, 10-6

THE MODERATOR: Sara and Andrea, congratulations. Could you tell us each your thoughts on the championship.

ANDREA VAVASSORI: Yeah, I think tonight was amazing. The atmosphere was crazy. The last match was unbelievable also the level. I think so many good points, so many highlights.

I think these two days will be really important for doubles in the future because we show that doubles player are great players. I think this product can grow in the future. There were so many legends in the past that played doubles.

I was speaking with John McEnroe in the locker room. He said to me for me was really important for him to come to me and say, You're doing something good for doubles. So I think it will be really important in the future to know that it's a product that can grow. With better marketing can become something better.

THE MODERATOR: Sara?

SARA ERRANI: Yeah, I'm so happy. Was so special to win here again the tournament. Was not easy after losing the second set in the final. Andrea help me a lot, giving me a lot of energy, believing in me. I think he did an unbelievable super tiebreak. Was so special.

I'm too happy (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When they did announce this, were you confident they would eventually say we are the champions, they're going to invite us?

SARA ERRANI: Not really. Not really. I was not believing on it. We were waiting. We didn't know. Was tough. For me was more no than yes.

ANDREA VAVASSORI: Actually, I don't think if we didn't do the statement if we would have played this tournament, honestly.

I think was important for us to play. Like I have to say the initiative was also important because was really a statement that doubles can become something better. The stadium was packed. The people were enjoy.

If something doesn't work, like we showed today that it's working. Like, the people were going crazy. The noise. Also the super tiebreaker, so many good points. I think is something that we are proud to stay here with the trophy.

Q. What were your emotions during the tournament of wanting to prove something but also having a lot of fun? Sara, hitting the underarm serve on championship point, what was going through your mind?

SARA ERRANI: I don't know.

ANDREA VAVASSORI: I didn't see honestly.

Q. You didn't know?

ANDREA VAVASSORI: No. No, because I was just looking at Casper.

Was it Casper or Iga?

SARA ERRANI: Casper.

Q. It was iconic.

SARA ERRANI: I did sometimes already in other matches.

Q. But championship point at a Grand Slam.

ANDREA VAVASSORI: Maybe the Olympics you did, no?

SARA ERRANI: I did in the Olympics in semifinals to win the medal and the match point.

Q. How did you decide to do it in that moment?

SARA ERRANI: You want to know the truth? Because I feel if I serve normal, I do double-fault. I did underarm serve. Sometimes also is not easy to return from underarm. Is getting low. Some people sometimes is getting nervous. I don't know.

I just feel it and I just did it. But we lost that point. We lost that point, so...

ANDREA VAVASSORI: The thing about the pressure for sure, it's always like that. We were the team that could lose everything. If we lose against Fritz-Rybakina, would not have been good a spot for doubles. I think everyone was thinking we would have lose against them. So to prove they were wrong, it's something that was important for us.

But I think we know our value as a team. We also showed before. I think also playing other finals in Grand Slams with Simone and Sara. I think Sara played so many Grand Slam finals. I think it's something you grow as a player. You are used to play in these kind of pressure. I think it's something that build you as a player in these opportunities.

Q. You keep saying you're playing not only yourself but for all doubles players. If you give USTA to make this event better in the future, what kind of advices would you give them?

ANDREA VAVASSORI: Honestly, is not easy because if you want to let singles stars to play, you have to choose the right days. Like these days were perfect because they have the time also to recover. If you do it in the second week, maybe is not easy.

I think we are doing for the doubles players, but I honestly got in the players council to change a little bit the thing of the narrative of the doubles, to say that doubles is a product that can grow in the future.

I think, as I said before, is the most important thing because the doubles player can change, but is the product that has value. If you show that is something that the people enjoy watching, I think we can do something about it, like putting more highlights of so many good points in doubles. Also talk about the stories of the people, how the people can get together.

I think there are so many teams that deserve it.

Q. The $1 million prize is a huge increase from previous years.

ANDREA VAVASSORI: Very huge (laughter).

Q. How much of a motivator was that for you? How did other doubles teams react from not being able to compete for that prize?

ANDREA VAVASSORI: Yeah, I think for sure other people were not so happy. I guess that's also because if I would not have the opportunity to play, I would be mad, too. Last year was amazing for us.

I think the initiative is something good for the sport. But in the future we have to give the best doubles players to compete.

SARA ERRANI: Yeah, because is also their work. I think it's fair also doubles players, very good players. Like he said, I think if people know better the persons before, the couple that can play, the people will know them and will enjoy more knowing them.

I think like this year, like taking out work from the doubles, I mean, everybody's playing also for money. I think it's important also for the other doubles players.

ANDREA VAVASSORI: I think maybe just to put 16 other players, maybe a draw of 32, one match more. The toughest thing is that Cincinnati is finishing on Monday. The schedule is very tough to organize. We have so many tournaments. But I think maybe one more round and you can put so many other good players.

Maybe you can put also the narrative about singles against doubles. Also today was two doubles players at the top of the game and two singles players at the top of the game. Was also a good matchup also for the crowd.

But yeah, maybe one round more. As I said, the initiative is very good. To see a stadium fully packed for mixed doubles is something that we didn't expect honestly. We have to give credit to the tournament to create something that was really worth it.

But we can do something, maybe adjust something in the future if is something that maybe we continue like this. Maybe it will be great to give the opportunity for sure to other doubles players that deserve it.

Arevalo was No. 1 in the world and didn't have an opportunity to play. Siniakova that is winning so many Grand Slams.

I think, as I said, there were a lot of positives, some negatives. But it's something that we can work on in the future.

Q. Sara, if you take the Olympic gold out of the equation, was this probably the most emotional you were after winning a final?

SARA ERRANI: I have to say that I'm really lucky. I have so many, so many tournaments that give me a lot of emotions. Of course, a slam is always so big emotion.

But like I said before, sharing this with Andrea is really too special because I feel so lucky to play with him. Watching him playing, I think he make me also grow me. So this...

Q. What is the origin of the head butt celebration?

SARA ERRANI: That is so special, so funny.

ANDREA VAVASSORI: I think we invented last year here. I think first time was in the final. Semis or final.

SARA ERRANI: I don't know.

ANDREA VAVASSORI: She did that and I followed the wave (smiling).

Q. As the most experienced team in the field, playing these matches, where do you feel your experience was most helpful?

SARA ERRANI: I think in doubles we showed is very important know how to play doubles. In doubles is not just serving good, hitting good, returning good. There are many other things that are not easy. I think the doubles players improve that things a lot to see, to cross, many other thing that is not only hitting the ball.

We show that you have to think, be smart. On doubles there are more things than hitting the ball. Singles has other things and doubles has another things. We show that we are good on doubles, you know, to change the game, to know what to do.

ANDREA VAVASSORI: Yeah, I think you have to have some skills different from singles. I think sometimes they don't respect doubles too much. Like, you have to treat the doubles like a different discipline. Singles you're alone, the pressure is only on yourself. Maybe you have to be great at the baseline, serving good, returning good.

But in doubles it's more teamwork. It's like a different discipline. I think it's great to have a connection with your partner. It's also great maybe for the next generations, now the prize money is bigger in doubles, to have a great career in doubles. It's tough maybe for someone to play alone, play yourself with a pressure, travel alone. Maybe you don't have so much money to invest.

Doubles for me was amazing because I was coming from a family that didn't have so much money, and I was growing faster in doubles. I had the opportunity to arrive faster at challenger tournaments, ATP tournaments. My singles level increased also because of doubles.

I think also my story can create also different pattern. Maybe in the future there will be more people also coming from different areas, maybe from college also. There are so many stories that maybe a guy that was not ready to play singles at the highest level went to college and become really good in doubles. We have so many college guys that play at the top of the game. I can speak about Skupski or Salisbury, all these guys who were college players and become great in doubles.

I think also showing there is something different that maybe if you are not ready to play singles, you can become good in doubles. Is something that will be great also for the future.

For grow something that is putting aside always, but there is also. I think it's a great product.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.