The dream team is officially done.
Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz had the tennis world buzzing when they teamed up for the 2026 US Open mixed doubles tournament.
But their run came to an end Tuesday.
The superstar duo were knocked out in the quarterfinals by Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, who won 5-4(4), 4-1 in just 55 minutes.
🔥 The Hype Was REAL
It was one of the most anticipated pairings of the tournament.
On one side, you had Serena Williams — a six-time US Open singles champion and one of the greatest players tennis has ever produced.
On the other, Carlos Alcaraz — the defending US Open men’s singles champion and one of the biggest stars of the new generation.
Together, they immediately became the team everyone wanted to watch.
And they didn’t disappoint in their opening match.
Williams and Alcaraz defeated Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool 5-3, 4-1 to reach the quarterfinals, overcoming a slow start and quickly finding their chemistry.
Then came the tougher test.
😳 Bencic & Cobolli Had Other Plans
Bencic and Cobolli weren’t interested in being part of the Serena-and-Alcaraz celebration.
The Swiss-Italian pair had already won the mixed doubles title at Indian Wells earlier this year, so they knew exactly how to play together.
The opening set was extremely tight.
Neither team could break serve, sending the set into a tiebreak.
Bencic and Cobolli handled the pressure better, winning the final three points of the tiebreak to take the opening set.
Then they found the breakthrough.
Cobolli’s return helped create the first break of the match, and Bencic and Cobolli quickly took control of the second set.
They closed it out 4-1.
Just like that, Serena and Alcaraz were heading home.
👋 Serena’s Return Was Still Special
Even though the result wasn’t what fans wanted, Serena’s return to Arthur Ashe Stadium was still one of the biggest moments of the tournament.
The 44-year-old hadn’t played at the US Open since 2022.
The crowd gave her a huge reception when she walked onto the court, and the atmosphere surrounding the match was unlike anything else during the tournament.
For Serena, this wasn’t supposed to be the beginning of another singles career.
It was simply a chance to experience the US Open again.
And she certainly gave the fans a night they’ll remember.
👀 What About Alcaraz?
Alcaraz also had plenty of reasons to be excited about his return.
The Spaniard had been away from competitive tennis since April because of a wrist injury, making this mixed-doubles tournament an opportunity to get back onto the court before the singles action begins.
He and Serena showed flashes of exactly why the partnership was so entertaining.
Serena brought the experience and aggressive returns.
Alcaraz brought the power and movement.
But mixed doubles can turn on a few points — and Bencic and Cobolli simply played the important moments better.
🏆 Was It Still a Success?
I’d say yes.
Sure, the fans wanted to see Serena and Alcaraz make a deep run.
But the real story was the spectacle.
A 44-year-old tennis legend returning to the US Open and teaming with one of the biggest stars of the next generation was always going to be special.
And the pair managed to win a match before their run ended.
Not bad for a partnership that was never expected to become a permanent doubles team.
🎾 The Bottom Line
Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz are out of the US Open mixed doubles tournament.
But they gave fans exactly what they came to see — big names, big moments and plenty of entertainment.
Now Bencic and Cobolli move on to the semifinals, where they’ll face Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils.
And as for Serena?
She may be done with mixed doubles for now, but her return to Flushing Meadows certainly reminded everyone why her presence still means something.
Would you have liked to see Serena and Alcaraz play another match together?
