ATP Tour

Carlos Alcaraz & Serena Williams fall to Flavio Cobolli & Belinda Bencic in US Open mixed doubles QFs

Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli spoiled the star-studded party at the US Open Tuesday, when they delivered a composed performance to dispatch Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams 5-4(4), 4-1 to advance to the semi-finals.

"To play Carlos and Serena, it is a great honour," Bencic said. "We felt their aura for sure. It was an honour to play."

Few hours after defeating Alexander Zverev and Taylor Townsend 4-2, 4-2 in the first round, Bencic and Cobolli returned to the court with a similar intent to defeat seven-time singles major champion Alcaraz and 23-time singles major champion Williams.

"Playing Serena and Carlos inside Arthur Ashe Stadium is not easy," Cobolli shared. "I was tired before the match, and I am tired now."

Alcaraz and Williams started their partnership with a flourish Tuesday when they defeated doubles stars Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool, but could not hold out against fellow singles standouts Bencic and Cobolli, who held their nerve in the crucial moments in the first set before powering to victory in 55 minutes.

Alcaraz, who is back in action for the first time since suffering a right wrist injury in April, admitted he was nervous about his return but enjoyed competing again.

"Everyone could see how nervous I was," the Spaniard shared earlier in the day, following his first victory. "I made a double fault on the first point. I was really, really nervous.... I was out for almost five months. I almost forgot how it felt to step on court once again. [The nervousness] was just for a couple of games, then Serena made it easy for me."

In other action, top seeds Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka fell to doubles standouts Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten 4-1, 2-4, 10-2 in the first round.

Siniakova and Patten then fell to Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina, as the married couple defeated the doubles stars 5-4(6), 4-5(3), 10-8 to advance to the last four. Monfils and Svitolina will play Bencic and Cobolli in the last four.

Elsewhere, Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik battled past Kristina Mladenovic and Marcelo Arevalo 4-1, 2-4, 10-8 before beating Americans Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul 4-1, 5-3 to charge into the semi-finals.

The Czech duo will now face Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, who defeated defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori 1-4, 4-1, 11-9 before battling past Diana Shnaider and Casper Ruud 4-1, 4-5(9), 10-5.