(CNN) — This wasn’t just a victory for Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori. It also felt like a victory for all doubles tennis players.

Up against some of the game’s biggest singles stars, Errani and Vavassori successfully defended their US Open mixed doubles title , defeating Iga Świątek and Casper Ruud 6-3, 5-7, 10-6 in Wednesday’s final.

Critics of the reimagined format will feel a sense of justice that the Italian duo, the only doubles specialists in the competition, triumphed at the end of the condensed, two-day competition, earning $1,000,000 in prize money – five times more than last year.

“These two days will be really important for doubles in the future because we showed that doubles players are great players,” Vavassori told reporters after the match. “I think this produ

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