Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz Eliminated From US Open Mixed Doubles
Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz have been eliminated from the 2026 US Open mixed doubles tournament after their highly anticipated partnership ended in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
The star-studded American-Spanish duo fell to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli 5-4 (4), 4-1 in a match that lasted 55 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The defeat ended one of the most talked-about storylines of the US Open’s revamped mixed doubles competition.
Despite the loss, the appearance represented a significant moment for both players. Williams was competing at the US Open for the first time since 2022, while Alcaraz was returning to competitive tennis after being sidelined by a right wrist injury since April.
Williams, 44, entered the tournament as one of the most decorated players in tennis history. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion had not competed at the US Open since announcing her retirement during the 2022 tournament, making her return to Arthur Ashe Stadium an emotional occasion for fans.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, arrived in New York as the defending US Open men’s singles champion and the world’s No. 3-ranked men’s player. His participation in the mixed doubles event provided an opportunity to regain competitive rhythm after his lengthy injury absence.
The pair received a wild card into the mixed doubles competition and immediately attracted enormous attention. Their combined accomplishments made them one of the most recognizable teams in the draw.
Their opening match initially looked difficult. Williams and Alcaraz fell behind 1-3 after Alcaraz dropped his opening service game, and the Spaniard admitted afterward that he was nervous playing alongside Williams.
The pair quickly settled down, however, and produced an impressive comeback against Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool. Williams’ aggressive returns and sharp net play combined effectively with Alcaraz’s power and movement as they won the match 5-3, 4-1 in 58 minutes.
The victory sent them into the quarterfinals and intensified hopes that the unlikely partnership could go all the way.
Bencic and Cobolli proved too consistent in the next round.
The opening set remained extremely competitive, with neither team able to break serve. Williams produced several vintage points, including a strong poach at the net and a backhand return that forced Bencic into an error.
The set ultimately went to a tiebreak, where Bencic and Cobolli gained control. After Cobolli produced a powerful smash to level the tiebreak at 4-4, the Swiss-Italian pair won the next three points to take the opening set.
The second set turned in their favor more decisively. Cobolli’s powerful returning helped Bencic and Cobolli secure the first break of the match, putting them in position to close out the contest. Cobolli then served out the match at love.
Bencic acknowledged afterward that facing Williams and Alcaraz came with considerable pressure. She said the team could feel the “aura” of the two stars but managed to maintain its composure when the biggest points arrived.
For Williams, the result does little to diminish the significance of her return.
The former world No. 1 showed flashes of the extraordinary tennis that made her one of the greatest players of all time. Her serve, returning and court presence generated huge reactions from the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, which was firmly behind the celebrated partnership.
Williams had previously said she never expected to return to the court at the US Open. Her appearance alongside Alcaraz therefore became as much a celebration of her legacy as it was a competitive tennis event.
The mixed doubles tournament itself has been redesigned to create a more compact and star-driven competition. Matches use shorter sets, no-ad scoring and a 10-point match tiebreak instead of a traditional third set. The format has helped attract some of the biggest names in tennis, including Williams, Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka.
Alcaraz’s participation also served as an important step in his comeback. He had been away from competitive tennis for more than four months because of his wrist injury, making the US Open mixed doubles tournament his first official competition since April 14.
Although he and Williams were unable to reach the semifinals, the experience gives Alcaraz valuable match practice before the US Open singles competition begins.
For Williams, questions now turn toward whether she will continue her comeback by joining her older sister Venus Williams in women’s doubles. The sisters have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, including two US Open championships.
Williams has not indicated that she plans to return to singles competition.
The loss also means Bencic and Cobolli advance to the mixed doubles semifinals, where they will face married couple Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils. Bencic and Cobolli have already demonstrated strong chemistry, having won the mixed doubles title at Indian Wells earlier this year.
Ultimately, the Serena Williams Carlos Alcaraz US Open partnership lasted only two matches, but it delivered exactly what fans hoped for: excitement, nostalgia and a rare opportunity to see two generations of tennis greatness sharing the same side of the court.
Their quarterfinal defeat may have ended the competitive run, but Williams’ return and Alcaraz’s comeback provided one of the most memorable moments of the opening days of the 2026 US Open.
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