When Italian mixed doubles specialist Andrea Vavassori once said, “Tactics in doubles are very important,” he meant every word. But this time, the surprise wasn’t what he did in doubles, it was that he delivered away from it.

After winning mixed doubles titles at the French and US Open last year, Vavassori kicked off his new year with a shocker at the Adelaide International on Tuesday, knocking off 24-year-old Canadian Gabriel Diallo in the first round and immediately putting himself back in the spotlight.

“Today was a great match. It gives me confidence because Gabriel is an unbelievable player,” Vavassori told ATPTour.com. “I watched him a lot last year. He’s one of those guys top players don’t want to face, because with his serve and forehand, he’s very dangerous.”

But after that straight sets victory over Diallo, Vavassori could very well be describing himself. He’s known for his doubles prowess alongside Simone Bolelli, who he’s played alongside at the past two Nitto ATP Finals and reached three Grand Slam men’s doubles finals, including at the 2024 and 2025 Australian Opens with.

And with longtime partner Sara Errani, Vavassori delivered a memorable performance at Arthur Ashe Stadium last year in front of 20,000 fans at the newly revamped mixed doubles tournament, after he did the same at Roland Garros.

Though he’s a doubles powerhouse, the 30-year-old’s victory against Diallo wasn’t a fluke. Vavassori’s skills were on full display, honed by the pressure he’s faced on the biggest stages of doubles and mixed doubles.

Andrea Vavassori is proving in Adelaide that he can be a threat in singles, even after finding out about his spot in the draw at the last minute.

Currently ranked world No. 336, Vavassori has been as high as No. 128 in 2023. He has faced Carlos Alcaraz twice and Jannik Sinner once, and with 11 tour-level singles wins, he’s no stranger to big matches. And that could explain why he’s setting his sights on the singles court.

Andrea Vavassori eyes a bold shift toward singles Tennis

Andrea Vavassori said he spent much of his preseason working on his singles game, partly because he didn’t have many doubles players to train with back home. He believes that focusing on singles has helped him improve as an overall player.

“For me, it’s not about singles or doubles,” Vavassori said after winning his first match of the season. “It’s about becoming a better player. I love being on court, and I’m very competitive, so I always try to give my best.”

What’s more, Andrea Vavassori would like to play more singles if the opportunities come, but he knows it’s not simple. Ranked No. 14 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings, he regularly gets into the biggest tournaments in doubles, while his singles ranking doesn’t always earn him a spot.

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That’s why he’s enjoying this week in Adelaide so much. The Torino native believes he’s now “much better” in singles than he was when singles used to be his main focus. He further credits doubles for helping him handle pressure on big stages.

“I think that the best thing doubles did for me is to become a better player in pressure moments because when you play Grand Slam finals in doubles or mixed doubles, I think the pressure is there. It’s helped me to become a better player in situations. So today, maybe two, three opportunities I played in a good way,” he said.

And with all the experience now, “I’m understanding my game better now,” he explained. “I think I have a different style. I like to go to the net, and we don’t see that kind of play very often anymore.”

Now, Andrea Vavassori hopes to carry that progress forward when he faces home favorite Aleksandar Vukic in the second round on Wednesday, before teaming up with Simone Bolelli later that day in doubles.