US Open 2026: Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz Return in Mixed Doubles – BBC Sport
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Alcaraz and Williams thrill in US Open mixed doubles
Image: Getty Images
By Harry Poole, BBC Sport journalist
Published 4 hours ago
Enjoy it – and do what Serena Williams tells you to. That was Carlos Alcaraz’s advice as he returned to competitive action at the US Open, partnering the American great in the tournament’s revamped mixed doubles competition.
The criticism surrounding the format has centred on the potential detriment to established doubles players, but the atmosphere inside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday evening was electric as about 15,000 spectators witnessed a star-studded exhibition.
All four doubles specialist pairings lost to singles players on the opening day, while Alcaraz and Williams fell in the quarter-finals.
Alcaraz, who had been out injured since April, and 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams were greeted with huge cheers as they took on Great Britain’s Lloyd Glasspool and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand.
The 44-year-old Williams won the US Open mixed doubles title in its original format alongside Max Mirnyi way back in 1998, five years before Alcaraz was born. Almost three decades later, Williams still possessed that competitive fire.
"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 a smiling Alcaraz after their 5-3 4-1 win.
Their partnership developed quickly, winning eight of the final nine games to secure victory. However, they were denied a semi-final spot by Flavio Cobolli and Belinda Bencic of Italy and Switzerland, respectively, in a tight 5-4 (7-4) 4-1 defeat.
Alcaraz’s return to action provided him with valuable court time while Williams, who has not competed in singles at the US Open since injuring her knee at Wimbledon, savoured the experience of returning to Arthur Ashe Stadium.
