Williams and Alcaraz Eliminated in US Open Mixed Doubles Quarterfinals
| Match Result | Flavio Cobolli and Belinda Bencic defeated Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz 5-4(4), 4-1 |
|---|---|
| Williams' Return | First US Open appearance since 2022; competing only in mixed doubles |
| Semifinals | Cobolli and Bencic to play Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils on Wednesday |
| Exhibition | Roger Federer played an exhibition event against Andy Roddick at Arthur Ashe Stadium |
Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz were eliminated from the US Open mixed doubles tournament on Tuesday, losing 5-4(4), 4-1 to Flavio Cobolli and Belinda Bencic in the quarterfinals at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. The defeat ended Williams’ return to the court at Flushing Meadows, where she had not competed since retiring in 2022.
Williams, 44, announced her comeback slightly more than two months ago and is competing exclusively in the mixed doubles draw. Alcaraz, 23, was making his return to competitive tennis after being sidelined by injury since April. The duo opened their day with a 5-3, 4-1 first-round victory over Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool, a match in which Williams hit a serve recorded at 120 mph (193.1 km/h).
In the quarterfinals, Cobolli, a French Open runner-up, and Bencic, an Olympic singles champion, won the first set in a tie-break sealed by a Cobolli ace. They dominated the second set without committing an unforced error. “Playing Serena and Carlos on Arthur Ashe is not easy,” Cobolli said after the match. Bencic also praised her opponents, calling it “a great honour” to play against Williams and Alcaraz on centre court.
Cobolli and Bencic will face married couple Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils in Wednesday’s semifinals. Svitolina and Monfils advanced by defeating Henry Patten and Katerina Siniakova 5-4(6), 4-5(3), 10-8. Earlier in the day, Patten and Siniakova eliminated top seeds Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka 1-4, 4-2, 10-2 in the first round. The other semifinal will feature Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik against Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, who defeated last year’s champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori in round one.
Tuesday’s program also featured an exhibition titled “An Icon Returns to New York,” celebrating five-time US Open champion Roger Federer’s return to Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 45-year-old Swiss star, who retired in 2022, faced long-time rival Andy Roddick in a singles contest. Federer then teamed up with John McEnroe for a doubles exhibition against Roddick and Andre Agassi in front of a packed stadium crowd.
Background
The US Open mixed doubles competition is operating in the second year of a revised format designed to feature prominent singles players in a standalone schedule during the week preceding the singles main draw. The format was introduced to increase fan attendance and commercial interest. While the event has drawn sellout crowds and attracted high-profile singles competitors, it has faced criticism from some doubles specialists who argue that the structure marginalizes established pairings.
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