"A family that didn't have so much money" - After $500,000 payday, US Open mixed doubles champ Andrea Vavassori opens up about past struggles

Andrea Vavassori won arguably the biggest doubles title of his career with fellow Italian Sara Errani at the 2025 US Open mixed doubles tournament earlier on Wednesday (August 20). Speaking to the media afterward, the 30-year-old recounted some of the financial issues that he faced in getting his career off the blocks early on.

Vavassori, who comes from humble beginnings by his own admission, turned pro in 2014 but has enjoyed meager success in singles on the ATP Tour with a career-high singles ranking of 128 to boot. The Italian also endured a rather quiet run on the pro circuit in men's doubles until 2024. Not to be discouraged, he turned the script in the last 52 weeks by winning two mixed doubles Grand Slam tournaments partnering with doubles specialist Errani, and contesting three title matches at the level in men's doubles (the 2024 Australian Open, the 2024 French Open, and the 2025 Australian Open).

The Andrea Vavassorri-Sara Errani duo further embellished their collective trophy cabinet this week at the mixed doubles exhibition event at the 2025 US Open. The veterans beat Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud 6-3, 5-7, [10-6] in the final on Wednesday, taking home a record-breaking paycheque of $1 million in the process. The impact of the prize money, which almost matches his career ATP Tour prize money to date, was certainly not lost on the doubles World No. 6 if his post-match press conference is anything to go by.

"I was coming from a family that didn't have so much money, and I was growing faster in doubles," Andrea Vavassori said while speaking to the media in New York on Wednesday. "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."

During the interaction, the 30-year-old Italian also spoke out on behalf of the rest of his doubles peers who weren't invited to play at the mixed doubles competition at this year's US Open.

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Andrea Vavassori: "I think sometimes they don't respect doubles too much"

Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani smile at each other | Image Source: Getty

As per the renewed format, eight berths in the main draw (featuring 16 teams) of the 2025 US Open mixed doubles event were reserved for singles players. This, in turn, meant that many doubles specialists would miss out on a possible $500,000 payday despite wanting to participate in the competition.

In that vein, Andrea Vavassori made an impassioned plea to the tennis world during his press conference on Wednesday, demanding more respect for his fellow doubles players. He also illustrated the differences between succeeding in singles and doubles as an ATP pro.

"I think sometimes they don't respect doubles too much. Like, you have to treat the doubles like a different discipline," Andrea Vavassori insisted. "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."

Aside from his mixed doubles triumph at Flushing Meadows, Vavassori helped Italy secure their second-ever Davis Cup Finals last year while also reaching the last eight in mixed doubles with regular partner Errani at the Paris Olympics.