Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz were eliminated in the US Open mixed doubles quarterfinals by Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli 5-4 (4), 4-1 on Tuesday. Williams, making her first appearance at Flushing Meadows since 2022, and Alcaraz, returning after a four-month injury layoff, had won their debut match together. The star-studded pairing, with a combined eight US Open singles titles, drew cheers and nostalgia from fans inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. "I never expected to be back on this court," Williams said after the match.

Alcaraz, the 23-year-old defending champion ranked third in the world, admitted to being rusty, double-faulting on the first point and wearing a sleeve on his injured right wrist. Despite hitting some vintage shots, the pair couldn't overcome Bencic and Cobolli, who acknowledged feeling intimidated playing against tennis legends. The new mixed doubles format features sets to four games with a 10-point tiebreaker, with the champions earning $1 million.

The semifinals will feature Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils, Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, and Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik.