Vavassori and Errani's anger at the change of mixed doubles format at the US Open

Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, defending champions of the mixed doubles event at the US Open in 2024, have reacted to the changes to the event.
The changes, which will take effect from the 2025 edition, are far from delighting them. In a statement posted on Instagram, they said: "Tradition and history.
Very underestimated values in this day and age. In our opinion, making decisions based solely on the logic of profit is deeply flawed in certain situations.
Last year, winning the US Open together was one of the greatest moments of our careers.
We felt an incredible warmth and support from the Italian fans, which made us very happy.
Mixed doubles isn't very well known, it's true, but anything that's part of a Slam competition is unique, and it's a great honor to be part of it.
To come back the following year and see your name engraved on the trophy cabinet is one of the most thrilling sensations in our sport.
You realize that you'll always remember playing a small part in this important tournament.
In recent weeks, we've learned that the US Open mixed doubles tournament is to be completely overhauled, cancelled and replaced by a pseudo-exhibition focused solely on entertainment and spectacle.
A decision taken without consulting anyone, which we can only accept. We see it as a profound injustice, disrespectful of a whole category of players.
Putting money before tennis is never a good idea.
We don't yet know whether we'll have the chance to defend our title, but we hope that this will remain an isolated case and that this type of policy will not be considered in the future.
We strongly felt the need to share our thoughts."