In a surprising and entertaining run at the US Open mixed‑doubles event, the high‑profile duo of Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz captured the imagination of fans by reaching the quarter‑finals before being dispatched by the fourth‑seeded team of Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli. The partnership combined two of tennis’s most recognizable names—Williams, a 23‑time Grand Slam singles champion who made a comeback to professional competition in June at age 44, and Alcaraz, the 22‑year‑old reigning men’s singles champion who was returning after a wrist injury that kept him off the tour since April. Williams’s return to the sport was already a headline‑making story.
After a two‑year hiatus from professional matches, she secured her first win since 2022 when she and Alcaraz defeated the British pair Lloyd Glasspool and Erin Routliffe in straight sets, 5‑3, 4‑1, in the opening round. The victory was especially sweet for the 44‑year‑old, who remarked, "I never expected to be back on this court. I never thought this would happen," expressing both awe and gratitude for the chance to compete again at Flushing Meadows.
For Alcaraz, the match marked his first appearance on the tour since his wrist injury, and it carried a nostalgic note: he was born five years after Williams captured the mixed‑doubles title at the same venue in 1998. The pair’s chemistry was evident despite a slow start. After dropping the first game, they rallied to take the next five, displaying a blend of Williams’s seasoned net play and Alcaraz’s powerful baseline strokes. Their aggressive poaching and quick reflexes drew cheers from the crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium, underscoring the appeal of mixed‑doubles when top singles stars get involved.
In the quarter‑finals, however, the momentum shifted. Bencic and Cobolli, who had been dubbed the "queen of tennis and the king of now" by their opponents before the match, executed a disciplined game plan that neutralized the star power of Williams and Alcaraz. The Swiss‑Italian team secured a 5‑4, 4‑1 victory, ending the run of the celebrity pairing. After the match, Bencic praised her opponents, noting the respect she had for both the "queen" and the "king," while Cobolli highlighted the importance of staying focused in a format where a single bad game can swing the outcome.
Williams’s future in doubles remains an open question. She has already ruled out a repeat of her singles appearance at Wimbledon, but speculation persists about whether she might team up with her older sister Venus in the women's doubles draw.
The prospect of the Williams sisters sharing the court again would undoubtedly generate massive interest and could add another chapter to their storied legacy. The mixed‑doubles event itself has undergone significant changes this year. Organisers revamped the format last season, reducing the draw size and giving the competition a standalone slot the week before the singles main draw begins. The aim was to attract more high‑profile singles players, and the gamble paid off: sell‑out crowds and extensive media coverage demonstrated a clear appetite for mixed doubles featuring marquee names.
Critics—particularly some doubles specialists—argued that the new structure marginalised established pairings, but the commercial success and heightened visibility suggest the experiment may become a permanent fixture. Other notable storylines emerged from the tournament. Top seeds Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka, both multiple Grand Slam champions, suffered an early exit in the opening round, losing 1‑4, 4‑2, 10‑2 to Britain’s Henry Patten and Czech star Katerina Siniakova.
Patten described the match as a lesson in the volatility of the fast‑paced mixed‑doubles format, noting that a single misstep can quickly turn a set around. Siniakova sealed the upset with a decisive ace on match point, underscoring the high‑stakes pressure of the format. The defending champions, Italian duo Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who had retained the title the previous year by beating Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, were surprisingly knocked out in the first round. Meanwhile, the Russian pair Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev produced a stunning upset, defeating the defending champions 1‑4, 4‑1, 11‑9, and later advancing to the semi‑finals with a 4‑1, 4‑5, 10‑5 win over Diana Shnaider and Ruud.
Looking ahead, the semi‑finals will feature Bencic and Cobolli against the husband‑and‑wife team of Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina, while the other semi‑final pits the Russian duo against Czech pair Karolína Muchova and Jakub Mensik. The finals, scheduled for Wednesday night, will revert to the traditional best‑of‑three sets format, offering a more conventional tennis experience after the fast‑paced, first‑to‑10‑point tiebreaks that have defined the earlier rounds.
Fans can continue to follow the action via Sky Sports, which will broadcast both ATP and WTA tours live, as well as the US Open coverage starting August 30. Streaming options such as NOW and the Sky Sports app provide additional ways to watch the tournament without a traditional contract. The mixed‑doubles competition, with its blend of star power, strategic nuance, and unpredictable outcomes, has reaffirmed its place as a compelling component of the US Open experience, promising more excitement as the remaining matches unfold.