Williams and Alcaraz exit US Open mixed doubles as revamped format continues
The departure of Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz from the US Open mixed doubles draw highlights the competitive depth of the tournament’s second year under its new standalone structure.
Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the US Open mixed doubles event, losing to Flavio Cobolli and Belinda Bencic. The defeat concluded Williams’ return to Arthur Ashe Stadium, where she had not competed since her farewell from the sport in 2022. The match ended with a score of 5-4(4), 4-1 in favour of Cobolli and Bencic, who advanced to the semifinal.
The result underscores the structural shift in the tournament’s mixed doubles format, now in its second year of operation. The revamped schedule places singles stars in a standalone event the week before the main singles draw, a move designed to attract broader audiences. While the format has proven commercially successful with sellout crowds, it has faced criticism from doubles specialists who argue it marginalises established pairings.
Cobolli, the Roland Garros runner-up, and Bencic, the Tokyo Olympic champion, will face married partners Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils in the Wednesday semifinal. Monfils and Svitolina secured their place by defeating top seeds Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals, a result that further illustrated the competitive nature of the new format.
Williams, who is not competing in the singles draw, had shown glimpses of her former brilliance earlier in the tournament. She recorded a 120mph ace in the first round against Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool, a performance that drew significant attention from the packed house. Alcaraz, who had not played since April due to injury, contributed a forehand winner to close out the first set of that opening match.
The event also featured an exhibition match billed as “An Icon Returns to New York,” in which Roger Federer faced Andy Roddick. Federer, who holds 20 Grand Slam titles and last competed at the US Open in 2019, subsequently teamed up with John McEnroe to face Roddick and Andre Agassi in a doubles exhibition. The matches provided a nostalgic counterpoint to the high-stakes competition of the main draw.
The US Open mixed doubles event continues to serve as a platform for showcasing elite singles players in a doubles context. As Cobolli and Bencic prepare for their semifinal, the tournament’s organisers maintain that the format successfully balances commercial appeal with competitive integrity, despite ongoing debates within the professional tennis community.
