Serena Williams' US Open return concluded on Tuesday afternoon as she and partner Carlos Alcaraz were defeated in the mixed doubles quarter-finals. The star pairing, who together hold a record 30 Grand Slam singles titles for a mixed doubles team at a major, lost to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli.
Williams, 44, stepped back onto Arthur Ashe Stadium 1,453 days after her defeat by Ajla Tomljanovic, an event that had seemingly marked the end of her career. She and Alcaraz, who was returning from a wrist injury, won their first-round match against Lloyd Glasspool and Erin Routliffe.
Despite the early exit, Williams' performance was noted, with her flying to the net and reading points effectively. The revamped mixed doubles championship features abbreviated matches and a 16-team field, with the final offering a top prize of $1 million.
Top seeds Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka also exited early in the competition. Elina Svitolina and Gaël Monfils, a married couple, have advanced and are two victories away from the trophy and a significant prize.