Serena-Alcaraz Fall in US Open Mixed QF

Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz lost to Bencic/Cobolli in the US Open mixed doubles.

Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz, the most anticipated pairing of the 2026 U.S. Open mixed doubles championship, were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli. The loss ends a run that drew enormous fanfare, as the pair combined for 30 Grand Slam singles titles and captivated crowds at Arthur Ashe Stadium. According to WTA Tennis, the Swiss-Italian duo prevailed in straight sets, sending the wildcard team home before the semifinal stage.

The pairing of Williams and Alcaraz was billed as one of the tournament's biggest attractions. Williams was competing at the U.S. Open for the first time since 2022, while Alcaraz brought seven Grand Slam titles and elite athleticism to the partnership. They advanced through their opening-round match against Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool, winning eight of the last nine games in that contest. The Athletic reported that disappointment was palpable inside Arthur Ashe as the crowd urged them on during a first-set tiebreak that ultimately slipped away.

Bencic and Cobolli took the first set 5-4, winning the last four points of the tiebreak. According to The Athletic, a powerful forehand return from Cobolli on Serena's serve and a volley miss from Williams created the opening, and Cobolli sealed the set with an ace. The second set proved more decisive: Bencic and Cobolli broke for a 3-1 lead and closed out the match 4-1. WTA Tennis reports the match lasted 55 minutes, with Bencic hitting a volley winner at Alcaraz's feet in the final game. Cobolli told The Athletic, "Playing Serena and Carlos on Arthur Ashe is not easy. I was tight before the match. I'm tight now."

The Serena-Alcaraz exit was not the only upset of the tournament. Top seeds Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka were eliminated in the first round by Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten, who came from a set down to win 1-4, 4-2, [10-2]. WTA Tennis reports that Siniakova sealed the victory by acing Djokovic on match point. The No. Central Oregon Daily notes that the upsets opened the door for the remaining contenders as quarterfinal play got underway.

The revamped U.S. Open mixed doubles championship features a $1 million grand prize for the winning team, a figure reported by multiple outlets. The tournament was moved to Fan Week and condensed into a two-day showcase with 16 teams, culminating in semifinals and a final on Wednesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium. According to Central Oregon Daily, the final will be a best-of-three-set match with sets to six games, no-advantage scoring, and a 10-point tiebreak in lieu of a third set. The format's compressed schedule means teams can play multiple matches in a single day, adding to the unpredictability that has defined this year's event.

Wednesday's semifinals will feature Elina Svitolina and Gaël Monfils against Bencic and Cobolli, and Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev against Karolína Muchová and Jakub Menšík. Svitolina and Monfils, a husband-and-wife wildcard pair, defeated doubles world No. 1s Siniakova and Patten in a three-set thriller to reach the final four. According to The Athletic, Andreeva and Rublev survived a grueling quarterfinal against Shnaider and Ruud, winning a decisive 10-point tiebreak 10-5 after squandering multiple match points. Bencic and Cobolli remain unbeaten as a team, and Bencic told The Athletic, "We are still unbeaten. We still have a connection on the court."