The sun — and doubles fans — were shining on Stadium 3 for Friday’s second annual BNP Paribas Open Mixed Doubles Invitational final in Tennis Paradise.

The 12-team event, the first of its kind at the Masters level, offers $370k in total prize money, with $100k going to today’s winners, and another $70k going to the runner-ups. 

In an entertaining tussle featuring four former grand slam champions, it was 2024 U.S. Open champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who came away with a 6-7(3), 6-3, 10-8 victory. 

“It was a nice opportunity,” Vavassori said. “I have to thank the tournament who gave us the opportunity. We played three great matches, and today was very nice to have the crowd watching us. We didn’t expect so many people watching the final.

The red-clad Italians, also quarterfinalists at the 2024 Paris Olympics, recovered from a break down in the opening set when Pavic missed a makeable volley down the middle just a sliver long, keeping the engaged crowd in a state of suspense. 

Vavassori produced a love hold to level at five-all in the next game.

After a trade of breaks in the next two games, which included a brilliant set point save by Mattek-Sands and Pavic with Errani serving at 6-5, 40-30, the teams headed to a first set tiebreak.

A 123 MPH ace gave Mattek-sands and Pavic three set points in the breaker, and they converted the first to take the lead. 

The determined Italian duo turned the corner in the second set, building on the momentum that they were unable to capitalize late in the first. Vavassori and Errani broke Mattek-Sands’ serve late in the second set and were able to make it hold up, forcing a match tiebreak for the title.  

Mattek-Sands and Pavic built a 7-4 lead in the tiebreak, but they were reeled back in by the Italians once again from there. Errani won both her serves to bring the Italians to 6-7, and Team Italy soon closed out the title, winning four of the final five points to claim the champion’s prize. 

“At the end it was tough, we were 7-4 down, Sara was serving two times, and she won two unbelievable points and then after that we stayed there. I think the pressure we put on them was worth it because at the end they double-faulted two times. The good thing with Sara is that we have a lot of energy on court, and we help each other to raise the energy together,” Vavassori said. “It was a good comeback, and I think that was the key, to stay in the fight and change the momentum of the match.”  

Errani and Vavassori join Storm Hunter and Matthew Ebden on the growing mixed doubles honor roll in the California desert. The 2024 champions won the inaugural edition by defeating Caroline Garcia and Édouard Roger-Vasselin in last year’s final, 6–3, 6–3.