Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz saw their short but memorable US Open mixed doubles run end in the quarterfinal. The famous pair lost to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli by 5-4(4), 4-1 at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
The result ended one of the most talked-about stories of the 2026 US Open. Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, had made a rare return to the US Open court. Alcaraz, one of the biggest stars in men’s tennis, also made his return after a wrist injury kept him out for about four months.
The match drew huge attention before the first ball. Fans came to see two stars from very different eras share one side of the court. Williams is 44 years old, while Alcaraz is 21 years younger. Their partnership had a mix of history, youth, power and fun.
In the end, Bencic and Cobolli stayed calmer at key points and earned a place in the semifinals.
A Special Return for Serena Williams
For Williams, this US Open had a special meaning. She had not competed at the tournament since 2022, when she made her emotional farewell from tennis.
Her return to Arthur Ashe Stadium brought a huge response from the New York crowd. Fans welcomed one of the greatest athletes in tennis history with loud cheers and a strong sense of nostalgia.
Williams had already made her mark at the US Open many times. She won the singles title six times and became one of the central figures of the tournament over several decades.
This time, however, she did not return for a singles campaign. Instead, she joined Alcaraz for the new mixed doubles event. The format gave fans a chance to see major singles stars in a different type of match.
Williams also showed that her famous serve and court sense had not vanished. She hit a 120 mph ace during the event and showed several flashes of the power that made her one of the most feared players in tennis.
Alcaraz Makes His Own Comeback
Alcaraz also had a major reason to feel excited about his return to Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The Spaniard had been away from competitive tennis since April 14 because of a wrist injury. The mixed doubles event gave him a chance to test his form before the main US Open singles event.
Alcaraz is already a major name in the sport despite his young age. His speed, power and ability to change direction make him one of the most difficult players to face.
His partnership with Williams created an unusual mix. Alcaraz brought his modern style and fast movement, while Williams brought decades of experience and an unmatched record at major events.
Their first match showed how well the two could enjoy the moment together. They smiled, joked and spoke often between points. The result also gave them a strong start.
A Strong First-Round Win
Williams and Alcaraz began their US Open mixed doubles run with a win over Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool.
The pair won that match 5-3, 4-1. It took only 58 minutes for Williams and Alcaraz to secure their place in the quarterfinal.
The victory made the star pair even more popular with the crowd. More than 10,000 fans watched their first match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with many there for the rare chance to see Williams back on the court.
Their first-round result also showed that this was more than a simple exhibition for the two stars. They had the skill to compete, and they had a real path to the later rounds.
That path, however, ended against Bencic and Cobolli.
Bencic and Cobolli Stay Calm
Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli entered the quarterfinal as the fourth-seeded pair. They knew they had a difficult task against two of the biggest names in tennis.
Bencic later said that she and Cobolli felt the aura of their opponents. She also described it as an honour to face Williams and Alcaraz.
The Swiss-Italian pair did not let the occasion affect their tennis for long. They stayed calm and made fewer mistakes at key points.
The first set was close. Neither team could create a clear gap, so the set went to a seven-point tiebreak. Bencic and Cobolli won that tiebreak 7-4, which gave them the first set at 5-4(4).
That moment proved important. Williams and Alcaraz had chances, but Bencic and Cobolli handled the pressure better.
Second Set Goes to Bencic and Cobolli
The second set was much shorter.
Bencic and Cobolli took control and won it 4-1. Their level stayed high, while Williams and Alcaraz could not recover the same rhythm they had shown earlier.
The Swiss-Italian team also kept their error count low. Their clean play gave Williams and Alcaraz few easy chances.
The final score was 5-4(4), 4-1, and Bencic and Cobolli moved into the semifinals.
For Williams and Alcaraz, the loss ended the partnership after just two matches. Still, the pair gave fans a rare moment that will likely remain one of the main memories of the US Open mixed doubles event.
The New Mixed Doubles Format
The mixed doubles event at the 2026 US Open has a different format from the traditional version of the sport.
The event uses shorter sets and no-ad scoring. It also offers a $1 million prize to the champions. The format aims to place major singles stars at the center of the mixed doubles event and bring more attention to the discipline.
That plan clearly worked with Williams and Alcaraz.
The pairing alone created huge interest. It brought together one of the greatest players in tennis history and one of the leading stars of the current era.
Other major names also took part. Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka suffered an early upset, while several other well-known pairs also failed to reach the final stages.
What Comes Next
Bencic and Cobolli now move into the semifinals. Their next opponents are Elina Svitolina and Gaël Monfils, the married pair who also advanced to the last four.
The other semifinal will feature Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik against Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev.
The result means that Williams and Alcaraz will not compete for the mixed doubles title, but their brief run has already given the event one of its biggest stories.
For Williams, the return itself was the biggest moment. After four years away from the US Open, she once again stood on the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium with thousands of fans behind her.
For Alcaraz, the event gave him valuable match time after his wrist injury.
A Short Run With a Big Impact
The result was not what Williams and Alcaraz wanted, but their two-match run still had a clear impact on the tournament.
They won one match and lost one. More importantly, they gave fans a chance to see two generations of tennis excellence share the same court.
Their quarterfinal defeat was clear on the scoreboard, but the story was about more than the final numbers. Williams showed that her competitive spirit remains strong. Alcaraz got a useful test before his singles campaign. Bencic and Cobolli showed the calm and quality needed to beat a pair that had far more attention around them.
The final result will show that Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli defeated Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz 5-4(4), 4-1.
Yet for many fans, the image of Williams and Alcaraz side by side at Arthur Ashe Stadium will be the lasting memory. It was a rare partnership, a special US Open moment and a short chapter that gave the mixed doubles event a level of attention few expected.
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