Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz lose in US Open mixed doubles

Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz returned to US Open mixed doubles but were eliminated in the quarter-finals on Tuesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, after losing to Flavio Cobolli and Belinda Bencic.

The reworked event has drawn criticism for spotlighting top singles players over established doubles specialists, and on Tuesday all four doubles specialist pairings lost to singles players.

Williams and Alcaraz entered their first match with huge support and won their opening-round tie over Lloyd Glasspool and Erin Routliffe, taking eight of the final nine games to win 5-3, 4-1.

"I'm playing next to the one and only Serena Williams, so what else can I do? Just enjoy and try to do the things she told me to do." said Alcaraz, unlisted.

Williams previously won the US Open mixed doubles title in its original format in 1998 with Max Mirnyi, and she returned to Arthur Ashe Stadium after her last US Open appearance in singles since 2022.

"I double-faulted on the first point" Alcaraz said, unlisted.

Alcaraz said he had been out for almost five months before the US Open, adding that it took only a couple of games to settle and that Williams made it easy for him to enjoy the match and try to go for it.

Williams said, "I never expected to be back on this court" and called the moment "really cool." she said, unlisted.

In the quarter-finals, Cobolli and Bencic advanced with a 5-4 (7-4), 4-1 win over the Americans paired with Alcaraz, ending their run and setting up Wednesday's semifinals.

Semifinals will feature Cobolli and Bencic against Russians Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, with the other match pitting Czech pair Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik against remaining qualifiers after Tuesday results.