The headline partnership of Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz captured the imagination of the US Open crowd as they advanced to the mixed‑doubles quarter‑finals, only to be stopped by the fourth‑seeded team of Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli. Williams, a 23‑time Grand Slam champion in singles, made a highly publicized return to competitive tennis in June at the age of 44. Her comeback quickly produced a milestone: she and Alcaraz earned their first professional victory since Williams last won a match in 2022 when they defeated the British pair Lloyd Glasspool and Erin Routliffe in straight sets during the opening round.
Alcaraz, the 22‑year‑old reigning men’s singles champion, was also making his first appearance on tour after a wrist injury forced him out of competition since early April. The Spanish star, who was born just five years after Williams captured the mixed‑doubles title at Flushing Meadows in 1998, teamed up with the American legend to create a generational showcase that drew cheers from the Arthur Ashe Stadium audience. After a tentative start, the duo rallied to take the first set 5‑3 and then surged ahead in the second set, closing it out 4‑1.
Their chemistry on court, punctuated by powerful serves and deft net play, delighted fans who were eager to see the "queen of tennis" share the spotlight with the "king of now." "I never expected to be back on this court," Williams remarked after the win, her voice tinged with both surprise and gratitude. "I never thought this would happen." Her words underscored the emotional weight of her return, a narrative that has resonated throughout the tennis world as she continues to defy age expectations. The momentum, however, proved difficult to sustain.
In the quarter‑finals, Bencic and Cobolli entered the match with confidence, having been seeded fourth in the event. They managed to edge out the high‑profile pair 5‑4, 4‑1, ending the run of the Williams‑Alcaraz team.
Cobolli later praised his opponents before the match, describing them as "the queen of tennis and the king of now," a comment that highlighted the respect the younger players have for the legends they face. Williams now faces a decision about her future participation in doubles competition. While she has already ruled out a repeat of her singles comeback at Wimbledon, speculation abounds about whether she might partner with her older sister Venus in the women's doubles draw.
Such a partnership would echo past family collaborations and could provide a compelling storyline for the tournament. The mixed‑doubles event itself has undergone significant changes this year.
Organisers revamped the format last season to attract top singles players by reducing the draw size and giving the competition a dedicated slot in the calendar, separate from the main singles schedule. The new structure proved commercially successful, drawing sell‑out crowds and featuring many of the sport’s biggest names, despite criticism from some doubles specialists who argued that the changes marginalised established pairings. In parallel news, top seeds Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka suffered early exits in the mixed‑doubles draw.
The Serbian 24‑time Grand Slam champion and the Belarusian four‑time major winner fell 1‑4, 4‑2, 10‑2 to Britain’s Henry Patten and Katerina Siniakova. Djokovic and Sabalenka started strongly, taking the first set, but Patten and Siniakova, both doubles experts, fought back to claim the second set and then dominated the match tiebreak, sealing the upset with an ace on match point. Patten reflected on the volatility of the format: "It wasn't looking very good for a while; in this format we play one bad game and all of a sudden the first set's gone.
We knew the same could happen in the second, and we played an amazing tiebreak. Kat acing Novak on match point was great." Their victory exemplifies how the shortened, fast‑paced scoring system can produce dramatic swings, rewarding teams that can maintain focus and execute under pressure.
The tournament also saw the defending mixed‑doubles champions, the Italian duo Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, exit in the first round despite having retained the title the previous year. Meanwhile, rising stars Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev upset the champions 1‑4, 4‑1, 11‑9 in the opening round and continued their impressive run by reaching the semifinals after a 4‑1, 4‑5, 10‑5 win over Diana Shnaider and Casper Ruud. Their next challenge will be against the Czech pair Karolína Muchova and Jakub Mensik. On the other side of the draw, Bencic and Cobolli will meet the husband‑and‑wife team of Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina, who advanced by defeating Patten and Siniakova in the quarter‑finals.
The semifinals are slated for Wednesday evening, and the final will follow later that night, reverting to traditional best‑of‑three sets to six games, a format that many fans consider the purest test of mixed‑doubles skill. For viewers, the US Open offers extensive coverage across multiple platforms. Live streams are available through NOW and the Sky Sports app, while highlights, scores, and in‑depth analysis can be accessed via the Sky Sports website and mobile applications.
As the tournament progresses, the mixed‑doubles event continues to provide a unique blend of veteran experience and youthful energy, underscoring the evolving landscape of professional tennis.