Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams fell short of the 2026 US Open mixed doubles semifinals after a straight-sets defeat to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli at Arthur Ashe Stadium on August 25, 2026. The pairing, which generated intense global interest, bowed out of the tournament with a 4-5 (4-7), 1-4 loss in 55 minutes, according to tournament records.
How the Star Pairing Unraveled in the Quarterfinals
The partnership generated immense excitement among tennis fans after Williams returned to the US Open courts for the first time since 2022, while Alcaraz made his competitive comeback following a four-month absence due to a right wrist injury sustained at the Barcelona ATP 500 in April. Facing Switzerland’s Bencic and Italy’s Cobolli in the quarterfinals, the Spanish-American duo struggled to find consistent rhythm under the tournament’s fast-paced mixed doubles rules. According to match reports, Bencic and Cobolli capitalized on quick breaks to close out the opening set via a 7-4 tiebreak before seizing control in the second set to seal the victory 4-5 (4-7), 1-4.
Opening Round Success and Tournament Format Context
Before their quarterfinal exit, Alcaraz and Williams captured public attention during their opening match. They defeated the doubles team of Britain’s Lloyd Glasspool and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe 5-3, 4-1. Speaking to the BBC after that initial win, Alcaraz admitted to early nerves on the court. “As you all saw, I started with a double fault on the very first point because I was so nervous,” Alcaraz said, noting that it took him two or three games to adjust before Williams helped him settle down and enjoy the match. Williams also expressed emotion about returning to New York, stating that she never imagined coming back to the venue.
The US Open revamped its mixed doubles format to draw top singles players back to the discipline, featuring 16 competing pairs. Matches prior to the final utilize four-game short sets with no-ad scoring, moving to a tiebreak at 4-4 and a 10-point match tiebreak if sets are split.
Broader Quarterfinal Results at Flushing Meadows
The rest of the mixed doubles draw featured notable upsets and tight battles. Married couple Gaël Monfils and Elina Svitolina advanced to the semifinals by edging Henry Patten and Kateřina Siniáková 5-4 (8-6), 4-5 (3-7), [10-8]. Patten and Siniáková had previously stunned top seeds Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka 1-4, 4-2, [10-2] in the opening round. Elsewhere, Jakub Menšík and Karolína Muchová defeated Tommy Paul and Emma Navarro 4-1, 5-3, while Andrey Rublev and Mirra Andreeva topped Casper Ruud and Diana Shnaider 4-1, 5-4 (9-11), [10-5] after knocking out defending champions Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani in the first round.
What Lies Ahead
With the mixed doubles run concluded, Alcaraz, Djokovic, Sabalenka, and other competitors turn their immediate focus toward their respective singles campaigns at Flushing Meadows. Tournament organizers scheduled the remaining mixed doubles semifinals and finals for August 26, 2026.
Related reading
