Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz make their return to tennis in an all-star pairing at the US Open mixed doubles tournament.
23-time grand slam champion Williams is competing in New York four years after the final competitive singles match of her career – or at least, the first phase of her career – before she began “evolving away” from the sport.
But the 44-year-old is back in action alongside Spaniard Alcaraz, who has not played in four months due to a troublesome wrist injury, but makes his return to grand slam action in order to defend his singles title at Flushing Meadows.
Elsewhere in the high-profile but controversial mixed doubles event, which is in its second year after a major revamp, world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and 24-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic are the top seeds, with the all-American pairing of Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz the second seeds.
Follow all the action with our liveblog below:
*BREAK! Townsend/Zverev 1-2 Bencic/Cobolli*
French Open runner-up Cobolli and former Olympic champion Bencic are first to strike, breaking for a 2-1 lead.
Bencic is the last to serve.
Flo Clifford25 August 2026 19:40
Up next: Townsend/Zverev v Bencic/Cobolli
Apologies, in fact Williams and Alcaraz are on court second this evening, after Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli take on Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev.
That match is just getting underway now.
Flo Clifford25 August 2026 19:31
Up next: Williams and Alcaraz
That victory for Monfils and Svitolina means it won’t be long now until Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz take to the court…
Flo Clifford25 August 2026 19:20
GAME, SET AND MATCH! Siniakova/Patten 4-5, 5-4, 8-10 Svitolina/Monfils
That’s the two doubles world No 1s knocked out, in quite the surprise. That was a very, very entertaining match.
Flo Clifford25 August 2026 19:15
GAME, SET AND MATCH! Siniakova/Patten 4-5, 5-4, 8-10 Svitolina/Monfils
Siniakova nets a big Monfils second serve!
Monfils and Svitolina are into the semi-finals!
Flo Clifford25 August 2026 19:10
Siniakova/Patten 4-5, 5-4 Svitolina/Monfils
Patten double-faults for 8-9! He looks absolutely furious with himself.
Match point now, with Monfils serving.
Flo Clifford25 August 2026 19:09
Siniakova/Patten 4-5, 5-4 Svitolina/Monfils
On Sky Sports commentary, Andrea Petkovic muses whether this format, with the 10-point deciding tiebreak, benefits the regular doubles players, who are used to competing with it at ATP and WTA events.
Boos ring out as Patten and Siniakova query why a let call wasn’t made as Svitolina serves, with both saying they stopped playing in expectation that a call would be given. The pair plead their case with the umpire but nothing is given. 7-7.
Flo Clifford25 August 2026 19:07
Siniakova/Patten 4-5, 5-4 Svitolina/Monfils
Monfils hops in frustration as he fails to bite at a Siniakova second serve, sending it into the net. 7-5.
Flo Clifford25 August 2026 19:04
Siniakova/Patten 4-5, 5-4 Svitolina/Monfils
Patten fires down an ace before Monfils nets an awkward slice, and the qualifiers have a tiny bit of breathing room at 6-4.
Flo Clifford25 August 2026 19:03
Siniakova/Patten 4-5, 5-4 Svitolina/Monfils
This is so, so tight. 3-3 at the change of ends, and Siniakova looks so engrossed in this that she’s briefly forgotten they have to change ends.
Flo Clifford25 August 2026 19:00NewerOlder