Tennis-Doubles veterans trump singles stars in early mixed matches

By Amy Tennery

NEW YORK, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Veteran doubles experience overcame singles stardom in the early action at the U.S. Open's reimagined mixed doubles competition on Tuesday, as the event kicked off with a new format and a crop of new ticketholders.

Defending champions Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani downed 2022 Wimbledon singles winner Elena Rybakina and 2024 U.S. Open singles finalist Taylor Fritz 4-2 4-2. The Italians had earned wild card entries.

Twice Grand Slam doubles finalist Caty McNally and partner Lorenzo Musetti beat two-times U.S. Open singles champion Naomi Osaka and 2016 men's semi-finalist Gael Monfils 5-3 4-2.

The year's final major took a new approach to the event beloved by fans but often lost in a schedule that is dominated by singles action, moving the competition to five days before the main draw.

This year's format saw eight entries based on the combined singles rankings of players and eight wild cards, a move that left some doubles competitors fuming but succeeded in bringing a sellout crowd to Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"The tactics in doubles are very important. They are amazing players, we all know that, but in doubles I think also the combination of the two players, we know each other so well, we are playing a lot of tournaments together," said Vavassori.

"We're also playing for all the doubles players that could not be here, so we tried to do our best."

'HOLLYWOOD OF MIXED DOUBLES'

A logjam of cars waited long into the first round to enter the Flushing grounds as spectators abandoned their taxis, walking up the Grand Central Parkway to get inside the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

It was the earliest sign of business not-as-usual for the U.S. Open's "fan week" as ticketholders shelled out to catch the early action just a day after the Cincinnati Open concluded.

"We're really excited. We heard it was like the Hollywood of mixed doubles," said Boston native Krystyna Zaluski, who brought her 13-year-old son to the tournament for the first time. "This event made it so simple for us to come out here."

That star power was dented slightly by the last-minute withdrawal of Italian Jannik Sinner, a day after illness forced the world number one to retire five games into his Cincinnati Open final.

Americans Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison replaced Sinner and partner Katerina Siniakova in the draw.