By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, September 5, 2024
rrani and Vavassori edged Americans Taylor Townsend and Donald Young 7-6(0), 7-5 to capture the US Open mixed doubles championship in a quality 87-minute final.
Photo credit: Jamie Squire/Getty
NEW YORK—Grand Slam gut-check time arrived on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
A fired-up Sara Errani met the moment with head-butting vigor.
Early in the tiebreaker, Errani head-butted partner Andrea Vavassori in cranium-cramming celebration.
Showing synergy on pivotal points Errani and Vavassori edged Americans Taylor Townsend and Donald Young 7-6(0), 7-5 to capture the US Open mixed doubles championship in a quality 87-minute final.
It was a history-making moment: Errani and Vavassori are the first all-Italian team to capture the US Open mixed doubles championship. The third-seeded Italians collect a champion's check of $200,000.
“This is so special moment for me,” Errani said. “I never play mix to share this moment with Andrea is so special.
“I know Donald from so young. We play juniors, so congrats for your career, an amazing career. I’m so happy it’s incredible. It’s amazing.”
Italian elevation spoiled an American fairy-tale finish.
In an inspired run, life-long friends and left-handers Townsend and Young came within one win of capturing the US Open mixed doubles championship in Young’s final professional match.
Still, the pair went down swinging in a pulsating finale that showed their special skills and bond honed over a couple of decades training together.
A month after she partnered Katerina Siniakova to win Wimbledon doubles, Townsend paid tribute to Young, his influence on her life and career—and the inspiration she hopes this partnership provides to black junior players.
“This isn’t the trophy we wanted but at the end of the day I’m the only black woman left in the tournament and there are two black men left in the draw and ultimately I just hope Donald and I standing here today, Frances being in the semifinals, Coco being defending champion just shows people that look like us that it’s possible,” Townsend told Ashe Stadium fans during the trophy presentation. “Standing here today with Donald means the world to me because he’s been in my life forever.
“I was able to be close up to him when he was a junior, winning junior Wimbledon, winning junior Australian Open. And being able to come home and to see someone doing this inspired me.
"I honestly don’t know if I’d be here today if it wasn’t for him and his family. So thank you.”
Ultimately, despite shoveling a sub 70 mph serve into the box, the 5’4” Errani stood tallest when it mattered most.
This title comes a month after former doubles No. 1 Errani and good friend Jasmine Paolini captured the Olympic doubles gold medal.
Operating from a crouch in the I-formation, the lanky Vavassori covered the frontcourt like paint. The combination of Errani’s dipping drives and Vavassori popping up to pick off passes and angle volley winners posed problems for the Americans on some key exchanges.
A video of Young's US Open career highlights played on Arthur Ashe Stadium screens before the USTA's Brian Vahaly presented the man nicknamed DY with a framed photo collage of his Flushing Meadows career.
Clad completely in black, Young, whose lefty wizardry entertained so many fans over the course of his career, clutched the microphone in his right hand while Townsend wrapped her left arm around her shoulder as he addressed fans.
Tennis was always a family sport for Young, who was taught by his parents, Donald Young, Sr. and Illona Young.
Fittingly, the 35-year-old Young closed the curtain on his career shoulder-to-shoulder with Townsend, the player he regards as extended family.
“We came a step short, but it’s a dream come true for me to play with Taylor,” Young said. “Taylor is like a little sister. I grew up playing monopoly with her to play next to her in the final of US Open is great. “To play in front of you guys makes it even more special. I really appreciate you guys coming out and congrats to Sara and Andrea, good playing bro.
“It’s tough for us to lose but you played well and you deserved it. To my family mom, dad you kind of been here with me all the way through thick and thin, negative and positive and I really appreciate everything you’ve been to me. I wouldn't be here without you.”
In a tight match from the start, Young knocked the vibration dampener right out of Errani’s string bed as he held for 3-2.
Playing the deuce side on return, Young spun a pair of forehand winners down the line to earn the Americans game-deciding point in the sixth game.
As Errani was grunting with each lung at net, Young had a good look at a forehand pass but sailed his shot through the middle and long. Vavassori held to level at 3-all.
Townsend showed her slick hand skills looping a lob winner and lashing an ace to put the Americans ahead 4-3.
The Italians pressured in the 11th game.
Thirty-six minutes into the match, Errani went toe-to-toe with Townsend in a baseline rally to draw a backhand error and win the deciding point giving the Italians a 6-5 lead.
At times today, Errani opened her racquet face in her service backswing and chased her errant toss looking like a woman holding a pizza platter while standing on a step stool. Despite a public-park looking serve, Errani showed excellent hands at net and a knack for creating an angle to help her partner close at net.
Vavassori snapped off a smash and the Italians won a pair of rapid-fire next exchanges for a 3-0 tiebreaker lead they celebrated with a head bump rather than the Bryan brothers style chest bump.
The hits kept coming. A Vavassori fantastic stretch get extended the point then Errani pierced the defense, punching a forehand volley for 5-0.
Errani was serving on set point when Vavassori poached and knocked off a forehand volley, capping a shutout tiebreaker for a one-set lead in 47 minutes.
Errani’s precision on the pass—and the fact she seldom overplays those drives—helped the Italians earned the crucial break. Dipping a drive at a net-rushing Townsend’s feet, Errani elicited a floated forehand volley for the break and a 3-1 second-set lead.
The 6’4” Vavassori was the tallest player on the court and used his height to hit extreme angles of the service box. Vavassori stamped a love hold extending the lead to 4-1.
Wimbledon doubles champion Townsend showed the fire and desire cornering Errani with a flurry of forehands as the Americans broke back in the seventh game.
Firing up between points, Townsend threw down a hold to level at 4-all shouting to her partner and Ashe Stadium fans “come on!”
Serving at 4-5, Young showed guts navigating a tricky hold. He got help from Vavassori, who inexplicably let a Young pass he had a play on float past. The shot landed well inside the baseline helping the Americans hold for 5-all.
Credit a tough Townsend for saving two championship points on her serve, including bending low for a brilliant backhand half volley down the line that completely befuddled Vavassori to save the second championship point.
On the third championship point, Young soared for a high smash, but didn’t quite get enough snap on that shot. A lunging Vavassori wristed a reply back and Townsend put her backhand into net to end a highly-entertaining 87-minute final.