What Happened to Sara Errani?
Sara Errani is an Italian professional tennis player who achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 5 and world No. 1 in doubles. After a doping suspension in 2017, she has made a remarkable comeback, particularly in doubles and mixed doubles, securing multiple Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal in 2024. As of June 2026, she continues to compete in doubles and mixed doubles, and also serves as a tactical coach for Jasmine Paolini.
Quick Answer
Sara Errani, a former world No. 5 in singles and world No. 1 in doubles, has continued her professional tennis career with significant success in doubles and mixed doubles after a doping suspension in 2017. Most recently, as of June 2026, she successfully defended her mixed doubles title at the Roland Garros with Andrea Vavassori, marking their fourth Grand Slam mixed doubles title together. She also won an Olympic gold medal in women's doubles with Jasmine Paolini at the Paris 2024 Olympics and is currently serving as Paolini's tactical coach.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline14 events
French Open Singles Finalist and Doubles Champion
Sara Errani reached her first and only Grand Slam singles final at the French Open, losing to Maria Sharapova. She also won the women's doubles title with Roberta Vinci.
Achieves World No. 1 Doubles Ranking
Errani reached the world No. 1 ranking in women's doubles with Roberta Vinci, a position she held for a combined total of 87 weeks.
Achieves Career-High Singles Ranking
Errani reached her career-high singles ranking of world No. 5.
Completes Career Grand Slam in Doubles
With Roberta Vinci, Errani won the Wimbledon women's doubles title, completing their Career Grand Slam in doubles.
Receives Two-Month Doping Ban
Errani was suspended for two months after testing positive for letrozole, a banned substance. She attributed it to accidental ingestion of her mother's medication. Her results from February to June 2017 were annulled.
Doping Ban Extended to Ten Months
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled to extend Errani's doping suspension to ten months.
Returns to Top 100 in Singles
Following an ITF title win in Arcadia, California, Errani returned to the top 100 in singles rankings for the first time since October 2018.
Wins Olympic Gold in Women's Doubles
Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini won the gold medal in women's doubles at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, marking Italy's first Olympic tennis gold.
Reaches US Open Third Round in Singles
Errani defeated Cristina Bucsa and Caroline Dolehide to reach the third round of the US Open singles, her best showing at a major since 2021.
Wins US Open Mixed Doubles Title
Partnering with Andrea Vavassori, Errani won her maiden Grand Slam mixed doubles title at the US Open.
Wins French Open Mixed Doubles Title
Errani and Andrea Vavassori won the mixed doubles title at the 2025 French Open, their second major mixed doubles title.
Defends US Open Mixed Doubles Title
Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori successfully defended their US Open mixed doubles title, defeating Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud in the final.
Paolini and Errani Split for Roland Garros Doubles
Defending French Open women's doubles champions Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani did not partner for the 2026 tournament, with Paolini focusing on singles due to a foot injury and Errani playing with Lilli Tagger.
Defends Roland Garros Mixed Doubles Title
Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori successfully defended their Roland Garros mixed doubles title, defeating Gabriela Dabrowski and Evan King in the final, marking their fourth Grand Slam mixed doubles title together.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
Sara Errani, born April 29, 1987, established herself as a formidable force in professional tennis, particularly known for her clay-court prowess. Her career peaked in 2012-2013, reaching the French Open singles final in 2012 and achieving a career-high singles ranking of world No. 5 in May 2013. Alongside her long-time partner Roberta Vinci, she formed one of the most successful doubles teams, completing a Career Grand Slam in women's doubles by 2014 and reaching the world No. 1 doubles ranking.
A significant turning point in Errani's career occurred in 2017 when she received a two-month doping ban after testing positive for the prohibited substance letrozole. Errani maintained that the substance was accidentally ingested through her mother's anti-cancer medication. The ban was later extended to ten months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and her results from February to June 2017 were annulled. This period marked a challenging phase for Errani, impacting her rankings and prize money.
Despite the setback, Errani demonstrated remarkable resilience and commitment to the sport. She gradually worked her way back, primarily focusing on doubles and mixed doubles. Her comeback gained significant momentum in the 2020s. In 2024, she achieved a major milestone by winning a women's doubles gold medal at the Paris Olympics with Jasmine Paolini. This victory was Italy's first Olympic tennis gold medal.
Errani has also found exceptional success in mixed doubles with Andrea Vavassori. The pair won the US Open mixed doubles title in 2024 and successfully defended it in 2025, also adding the 2025 French Open mixed doubles title to their achievements. Their partnership has proven to be dominant, securing four of the last seven mixed doubles majors played.
As of June 2026, Sara Errani remains an active and successful player in doubles and mixed doubles. She and Andrea Vavassori successfully defended their mixed doubles title at the Roland Garros on June 4, 2026, defeating Gabriela Dabrowski and Evan King. Errani is also taking on a coaching role, serving as a tactical coach for her doubles partner, Jasmine Paolini. Her singles ranking is currently outside the top 400, but her doubles ranking is still strong at world No. 7. Her career prize money exceeds $17.9 million.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Sara Errani made different choices?