Two Months From Announcement to Ashe
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, announced her comeback barely two months ago and is not playing singles in New York. The crowd treated her return like a coronation anyway. She blasted a 120 mph ace in the opener to gasps from the stands, and Alcaraz, playing his first matches since April after injury, closed the first set with a forehand winner as the pair grinned through matching purple outfits.
"It's always such an amazing place to be here," Williams said. "I never expected to be back on this court."
The quarterfinal was a different story. Cobolli, this year's Roland Garros runner-up, sealed the first-set tiebreak with an ace, and he and Olympic champion Bencic played the second set without an unforced error. "Playing Serena and Carlos on Arthur Ashe is not easy. I was tired before the match, I'm tired now," Cobolli said.
The Bracket Kept Delivering Upsets
The revamped mixed doubles event, a standalone showcase for singles stars in its second year, claimed bigger favorites still. Top seeds Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka lost in round one to doubles specialists Henry Patten and Katerina Siniakova, who were in turn beaten by the married pair of Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina. "The chemistry is what put us through," Svitolina said.
Cobolli and Bencic face Monfils and Svitolina in Wednesday's semifinals. The other semifinal pits Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik against Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, who knocked out defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori in round one.
A Farewell Across the Plaza
The night doubled as a nostalgia festival. Roger Federer, who ruled out a Williams-style comeback, returned to Ashe for a prime-time exhibition against Andy Roddick billed as "An Icon Returns to New York," then paired with John McEnroe against Roddick and Andre Agassi. "I have incredible memories, obviously, of this court, of the fans here, of the city," the 45-year-old said, in front of stands dotted with RF caps.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How far did Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz go at the US Open?
- They won their opening mixed doubles match against Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool, then lost the quarterfinal to Flavio Cobolli and Belinda Bencic, 5-4(4), 4-1.
- Why are the set scores so unusual?
- The revamped US Open mixed doubles uses a fast format with short sets to four games, designed as a standalone event for singles stars the week before the main draw.
- Is Serena Williams playing singles at the US Open?
- No. Her comeback, announced roughly two months ago, was limited to mixed doubles in New York.
- Who is left in the mixed doubles draw?
- Wednesday's semifinals: Cobolli and Bencic against married couple Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina, and Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik against Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev.
