Williams and Alcaraz Stunned in US Open

Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz, the headline duo of the US Open mixed doubles, were knocked out in the quarter‑finals by the unheralded pair of Flavio Cobolli and Belinda Bencic. The Italian‑Swiss team produced a crisp, straight‑sets win that left the Arthur Ashe crowd buzzing. Their exit means the semi‑final line‑up now features Cobolli and Bencic against the married couple Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils, adding a fresh narrative to a tournament already packed with surprise results. The loss underscores how mixed doubles can level the playing field, with chemistry often outweighing star power.

Shows that even top singles stars can be vulnerable in mixed doubles, highlighting the event’s unpredictability.

Mixed doubles offers a rare glimpse of top players teaming up outside their usual formats, and upsets like this keep the competition fresh, drawing casual fans and reinforcing the tournament’s reputation for drama beyond the singles draws.