The format of the mixed doubles tournament at the U.S. Open this year may have been brand new, but the winners were as traditional as could be.

Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, the only true mixed doubles team in this year’s bracket, successfully defended their title Wednesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium, topping the reimagined tournament they heavily criticized for sidelining doubles specialists in favor of high-profile singles players.

It was a statement victory — 6-3, 5-7 (10-6) over No. 3 seeded Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud — for many reasons.

There’s a reason no one could match the Italians’ intensity.

There’s a reason no one coordinated or communicated better than them.

It didn’t even matter that the now back-to-back winners had just 10 minutes of rest compared to their opponen

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