PARIS, JUN 4 (IANS): Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori reinforced their status as the dominant force in mixed doubles by successfully defending their French Open title on Thursday, overcoming Gabriela Dabrowski and Evan King in a hard-fought final on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
The Italian top seeds recovered from a set down to claim a 4-6, 6-3, 10-4 victory in one hour and 19 minutes, becoming the first pair since 2019 to retain the French Open mixed doubles trophy.
Playing in blustery conditions, Errani and Vavassori were tested early by their opponents, who adapted quickly to the wind and raced into a commanding lead. Dabrowski and King produced sharp all-court tennis to seize control of the opening set and maintained their advantage to move within a set of the title.
The momentum, however, shifted decisively after the changeover. Errani and Vavassori responded with greater aggression and consistency, taking charge of the second set with an early surge that left their opponents chasing the match. Having forced a deciding championship tiebreak, the defending champions wasted little time asserting themselves, opening up an early lead and never allowing the challenge to gather momentum. They eventually converted their first championship point to seal another major triumph together and continue their flawless record in Grand Slam mixed doubles finals. “What can I say. I’m still living this never-ending dream,” Errani said.
The victory adds another landmark achievement to Errani’s decorated career. The 39-year-old now owns 10 Grand Slam titles across women’s and mixed doubles, while Vavassori collected his fourth major mixed doubles crown alongside his compatriot. During the trophy ceremony, the Italian pair reflected on a partnership that has become one of the most successful combinations in the discipline.
Heliovaara and Patten storm into maiden men’s doubles final
Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten moved within one win of a maiden French Open crown after another commanding display on Thursday, reaching the men’s doubles final.
The second-seeded Finnish-British combination defeated the French pair Quentin Halys and Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-3, 6-4 on Court Suzanne Lenglen, extending their unbeaten run through the tournament and booking their first championship match in Paris.
Already one of the standout doubles teams of the season, Heliovaara and Patten arrived at Roland Garros with titles in Adelaide, Doha, Dubai, and Madrid. Their latest victory keeps them on course for a fifth trophy in 2026 and their first Grand Slam title of the year.
The semifinal remained competitive in the early exchanges, with little to separate the two teams. However, the second seed capitalised on their first opening when Herbert surrendered serve with a double fault, allowing Heliovaara and Patten to seize control of the opening set.
The pair continued to dictate the tempo through strong serving and sharp net play. Heliovaara capped off the first set with a delicate volley before another lapse in Herbert’s serve handed the favourites an early break in the second.
Backed by a vocal home crowd, Halys and Herbert sought to mount a late challenge, creating opportunities to prolong the contest. But Heliovaara and Patten stayed composed under pressure, refusing to relinquish their advantage. Serving for the match, Patten showed no signs of tension. The Brit delivered a strong first serve on match point, and Heliovaara finished the job with a crisp volley at the net, sealing victory in one hour and 16 minutes.
The win sends the pair into their third Grand Slam final together. Having already lifted trophies at Wimbledon in 2024 and at the Australian Open in 2025, they remain unbeaten in major finals and now have the chance to reach another significant milestone in their partnership. For Patten, the final also offers the chance to become the first British men’s doubles champion in the Open Era at Roland Garros.
Andreeva ends Kostyuk’s streak to reach maiden Grand Slam final
Mirra Andreeva continued her rapid rise on the WTA Tour by securing a place in her first Grand Slam final, producing a commanding display to defeat Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 6-3 in the Roland Garros women’s singles semifinals on Thursday.
The eighth-seeded Russian required just 76 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier to dismantle the in-form Kostyuk, whose 17-match winning streak came to an abrupt end. The victory not only propelled Andreeva into her maiden major final but also confirmed her status as one of the brightest young stars in the sport.
At 19, Andreeva becomes the youngest woman to reach a Grand Slam final since Coco Gauff’s breakthrough run at the 2022 French Open. She is also the third-youngest Roland Garros finalist of the 21st century, behind only Gauff and Kim Clijsters, who reached the championship match at 17 in 2001.
The result carried added significance given Andreeva’s recent struggles against Kostyuk. The Ukrainian had beaten her in straight sets in both of their previous meetings this season, including the Madrid Open final six weeks ago. This time, however, the Russian turned the tables emphatically.
From the outset, Andreeva dictated proceedings with her aggressive shot-making and exceptional court coverage. She raced through the opening set, allowing Kostyuk little opportunity to establish any rhythm. The second set proved more competitive, but the teenager remained firmly in control, repeatedly forcing errors from her opponent and shutting down any hopes of a comeback.
Cobolli ends Auger-Aliassime’s hopes, reaches first major SF
Italy’s Flavio Cobolli broke new ground in the French Open on Wednesday, storming into his maiden major semifinal with a four-set victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime in the men’s singles under the Chatrier roof at Stade Roland Garros in Paris.
The Italian 24-year-old hit back from losing the first set to storm back to a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory to move into his first semifinal at a major level. With this win, Cobolli will set up a clash with either Matteo Berrettini or Matteo Arnaldi in Friday’s semifinals, which guarantees an Italian presence in the men’s final on Sunday.
The youngster from Rome began the event as the world No.14 and moved up to No.10 in the live ATP list, the highest ranking of his career. “It’s been the best week of my life,” the Italian said on court.
In an explosive performance under the roof on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the 24-year-old Italian earned a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win against fourth-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, who was aiming to reach the last four at a major for the third time.
