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NEW YORK: Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud will play defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori on Wednesday night for the US Open mixed doubles title and $1 million.

Swiatek and Ruud, the No. 3 seeds, beat top-seeded Jessica Pegula 3-5, 5-3, 10-8 in a match tiebreaker in the first semifinal, in what was probably the best match of an event that was overhauled this year. They trailed 8-4 in the tiebreaker after Swiatek double-faulted, then ran off six straight points to advance.

Errani and Vavassori then beat Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison 4-2, 4-2.

After a short break, the finalists would be back on the court to wrap up an event that was completed over two days, well before singles play starts Sunday.

Both teams won two matches Tuesday to earn spots in the semifinals that were played under a closed roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium after rain fell much of the afternoon.

Errani and Vavassori weren’t even sure they would get to defend their titles after the US Tennis Association radically changed the mixed doubles tournament in an effort to draw top singles players. Eight teams in the 16-team field qualified by their players’ combined singles rankings, with the remaining teams given wild cards.

The Italians — were were among the biggest critics of the changed format — were given one and have a chance to be the first repeat champions in Flushing Meadows since Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jamie Murray in 2018-19.

“I think we are on a mission,” Vavassori said.

The final will more closely resemble a traditional match, with sets to six games. They went to four games in the first three rounds, with a deciding point played at deuce instead of needing to get the next two points.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan are gearing up for the qualifiers of the ��������-hosted AFC Asian Cup 2026, with a training camp in Islamabad, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said on Wednesday.

The qualifiers will feature 44 sides each drawn into 11 groups, which will be contested from Sept. 1-9. The 11 group winners and the four best-ranked runners-up will join ��������, who are hosting the tournament for the first time, in January’s finals.

Pakistan has been placed in Group G with Iraq, Cambodia and Oman. While the tournament will be hosted in ��������, one member of the group will host all qualifier matches. Cambodia has been picked as the host for all Group G AFC Asian Cup qualifier matches.

“Initially, 50 players selected through tryouts are participating in the camp,” the PFF said in a statement on Wednesday. “The final 23-member squad will be announced later.”

Pakistan Head Coach Nolberto Solano joined the U23 team at the Jinnah Sports Complex in Islamabad for the training camp, the PFF said.

Pakistan will play its first match against Iraq on Sept. 3, followed by its second one against hosts Cambodia on Sept. 6. The Green Shirts play their final group stage match against Oman on Sept. 9.