Multiple Grand Slam winner claims US Open organisers have been ‘proven wrong’ as Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori win

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The 2025 US Open mixed doubles tournament divided opinion, as organisers chose to reformat the event.

Reducing the number of teams from 32 to 16 and inviting top singles stars in place of traditional doubles teams, the US Open organisers must have known they would receive their fair share of criticism.

That they did, as several doubles players spoke out against the US Open after not being invited to play.

Interestingly, the one mixed doubles team who were awarded a wild card, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, won the title.

Reacting to the Italian duo’s triumph, a former multiple Grand Slam-winning doubles star congratulated the pair on proving the US Open organisers wrong.

Todd Woodbridge is ‘proud’ of Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani for proving US Open organisers wrong

Australia’s Todd Woodbridge, a 16-time Grand Slam doubles and six-time Grand Slam mixed doubles champion, has long been a supporter of the discipline.

Giving his verdict on Vavassori and Errani’s win, Woodbridge said he was proud of the pair for their efforts in New York.

“Dear Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori…. Today I would like to say how proud I am of you both. Winning the US Open exhibition event was so important for all of us who have been doubles and mixed doubles champions,” he said.

“The leadership of our sport has tried to say that we are not the best players; however, you have both proven them wrong.

“Under the most extreme pressure, you have excelled and shown the world that doubles is a skill in its own right!

“Thank you, Todd.”

During the event, Vavassori said they were playing for other doubles teams who weren’t invited.

Picking up the title against 15 makeshift mixed doubles teams, containing top singles stars, Vavassori and Errani proved just how talented they are.

In the replies of Woodbridge’s emotional post, several doubles stars, including Vavassori, shared their thoughts.

“Absolute legend,” said Vavassori.

“Thank you for the kind words, an honor for us.”

Edouard Roger-Vasselin, a French Open champion in doubles and mixed doubles, was also impressed with Woodbridge’s statement.

“Fantastic words, Todd,” he said.

As Woodbridge rightly pointed out, Errani and Vavassori proved a lot of people wrong with their performance at Flushing Meadows, but will that force organisers into a change for 2026?

How can the US Open find the right balance for the mixed doubles event?

For all the criticism levelled at the event, nobody is denying that more people watched mixed doubles this year than ever before.

The likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, and Naomi Osaka helped bring in 78,000 fans on-site for the two-day competition.

Even the fiercest defenders of tradition can’t argue against that being a positive step forward for the game of mixed doubles.

However, going forward, there must be a balance struck between bringing in the numbers and allowing the very best doubles players to compete.

For the 2025 tournament, eight teams gained direct entry through their combined singles ranking, with the remaining eight receiving wild cards from the US Open.

A simple tweak to the way teams qualify for the event could potentially solve some of the problems.

Theoretical qualification rules for US Open mixed doubles

• (1) Spot reserved for defending US Open mixed doubles champions
• Up to (3) spots reserved for Grand Slam mixed doubles champions throughout the year
• (2) spots reserved for teams with the highest combined doubles ranking
• (6) spots reserved for teams with the highest combined singles ranking
• Between (4) and (7) spots reserved for wild cards

If these hypothetical rules were in place for the 2025 tournament, the line-up could have looked something like this…

While in reality things may look a lot different, at first glance, it’s clear to see there are more opportunities for doubles players, while the big singles stars still have a chance to compete.

Only time will tell if the US Open will make any changes ahead of the 2026 tournament, but it will certainly be something to look out for.