WTA stars Andreeva, Bencic, Svitolina and Muchova reach US Open mixed doubles semis

NEW YORK -- The stars arrived in the Big Apple on Tuesday, as main-draw action for the 2026 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship got underway.

With 16 teams consisting of the world's best singles and doubles players taking center stage, 12 matches were played as the field was whittled down to the final four.

The remaining pairs are: Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, No. 4 seeds Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik, and Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils. The semifinalists include four of the top 12 players in the PIF WTA Singles Rankings.

They -- along with their partners -- will return Wednesday, when the semifinals and final will be played on Arthur Ashe Stadium and one team is awarded the trophy and $1 million-dollar grand prize.

Here's all you need to know about what went down Tuesday.

Second Round

Mirra Andreeva/Andrey Rublev def. Diana Shnaider/Casper Ruud

Andreeva and Rublev defeated Diana Shnaider and last year's finalist Casper Ruud 4-1, 4-5 (9), [10-5] in 1 hour and 14 minutes on Tuesday to complete the last four, providing a dramatic conclusion to the day as the last of 12 mixed doubles matches to finish.

Andreeva and Rublev served for the match in the second set before dropping an extended second-set tiebreak. But they were able to regroup and rediscover the form they had to start the contest.

Responsible for defeating three of last year's four finalists -- Ruud in the quarterfinals and Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori in the first round -- Andreeva and Rublev will face Muchova and Mensik in the semis.

No. 4 seeds Belinda Bencic/Flavio Cobolli def. Serena Williams/Carlos Alcaraz

Bencic and Cobolli played four sets Tuesday and won every one of them, the last two of which ended the run of Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals. The Swiss-Italian combo prevailed 5-4 (4), 4-1 in 55 minutes to remain alive for the $1 million grand prize.

After trading holds in the opening set, Bencic and Cobolli took the last four points of the first-set tiebreak to move in front and continued playing fearless tennis in the second. They broke for 3-1 and Bencic hit a volley winner right at Alcaraz's feet in the final game as Cobolli served it out.

"I'm really lucky I was able to play Serena a couple times in my career," Bencic said in their post-match press conference. "So for me it was surreal to play Carlos. And sometimes I was just standing at the volley or on return and I was like, 'How did I end up on this court?' Like really, I don't know. It's just a huge honor, and obviously you can feel both of their auras."

The No. 4 seeds will face Svitolina and Monfils on Wednesday for a spot in the final.

Karolina Muchova/Jakub Mensik def. Emma Navarro/Tommy Paul

Muchova and Mensik will have a one in four shot of collecting some hardware Wednesday, as the Czech duo defeated Americans Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul 4-1, 5-3 in 48 minutes to reach the semifinals.

Despite limited mixed doubles experience -- this is Mensik's first time competing in the discipline -- they join Svitolina and Monfils in the final four.

"We were happy we got into the mixed doubles as the last ones," Muchova said in their post-match press conference. "The first match today was a bit tricky. We were just trying to get used to each other and (learn) how to communicate. I think already in the second match, we played way better, way more relaxed and aggressive, and I enjoyed playing next to Jakub."

Elina Svitolina/Gael Monfils def. Katerina Siniakova/Henry Patten

Svitolina and Monfils proved good vibes -- and better tennis -- are more than enough to nail down a semifinal bid. In another clash of singles versus doubles players, they defeated WTA and ATP doubles World No. 1s Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten 5-4 (6), 4-5 (3), [10-8] in 1 hour and 34 minutes.

Siniakova and Patten made a nice run having to come through qualifying and defeating No. 1 seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic in the first round, but they found themselves on the wrong side of another thriller because of points like this.

And this.

Svitolina and Monfils are the first pair through to the last four and will compete on Wednesday for a shot at the title.

"It was a great day today, unexpectedly I would say," Svitolina said in her post-match press conference. "But we're very happy with two wins. It was great fun playing against great doubles players in the second match, and we're just happy to get those wins and be in the semifinals."

First Round

Diana Shnaider/Casper Ruud def. No. 2 seeds Jessica Pegula/Taylor Fritz

The first round concluded with one final upset, as Shnaider and Ruud raced past No. 2 seeds Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz 4-2, 4-1 in 40 minutes. The win sends them to the quarterfinals and means that none of the top three seeds won their opening match.

Ruud is a defending finalist, losing in a match tiebreak last year with Iga Swiatek. He's looking to do one better this year and the next step to doing so is beating Andreeva and Rublev in the quarterfinals. Bragging rights will be on the line, as Shnaider and Andreeva are good friends and former doubles partners.

Serena Williams/Carlos Alcaraz def. Erin Routliffe/Lloyd Glasspool

For the first time since her retirement, Williams took the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium. By her side? Former ATP World No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz. Between the two, they account for 30 Grand Slam singles titles, and their collab was met with an abundance of fanfare.

The pairing of Williams and Alcaraz lived up to the hype Tuesday, as they won eight of the last nine games to beat Erin Routliffe -- Williams' unexpected rival of 2026 -- and Lloyd Glasspool 5-3, 4-1 in 58 minutes to reach the quarterfinals. Oh, and they combined for points like the one below.

With the win, they're through to the quarterfinals, where they will face Bencic and Cobolli. But for Williams, whatever comes next is icing on the cake.

"It's always such an amazing place to be here," Williams said in her on-court interview. "I never expected to be back on this court, so it was just a really cool moment.

"This is such a bonus for us to be out here and to play with Carlos is honestly so cool." 

Mirra Andreeva/Andrey Rublev def. Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori

Errani and Vavassori made waves last year when they beat some of the best singles players in the world en route to winning the 2025 US Open mixed doubles titles. But despite holding match points in the first round Tuesday, a repeat wasn't in the cards.

Instead, Andreeva and Rublev upset the defending champions 1-4, 4-1, [11-9] in 52 minutes to reach the quarterfinals.

Andreeva is no stranger to doubles success, with two WTA 1000 titles and an Olympic silver medal in the discipline. She can add to that resume if she and Rublev win three more matches across the next two days.

No. 4 seeds Belinda Bencic/Flavio Cobolli def. Taylor Townsend/Alexander Zverev

Bencic and Cobolli are the first seeds to advance in this year's mixed doubles tournament, defeating Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev 4-2, 4-2 in 49 minutes to reach the quarterfinals.

Townsend becomes the latest doubles player to fall as the pendulum has swung back and forth between the specialists and singles stars, while Bencic and Cobolli now await the winner of Williams/Alcaraz and Routliffe/Glasspool.

Emma Navarro/Tommy Paul def. No. 3 Amanda Anisimova/Learner Tien

As play continued on Louis Armstrong Stadium, fans were treated to a matchup featuring four of the biggest names in American tennis. And in the battle of compatriots, Navarro and Paul defeated No. 3 seeds Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien 5-3, 4-2 in 45 minutes.

They draw Muchova and Mensik next as they look to earn a semifinal spot on home soil.

Katerina Siniakova/Henry Patten def. No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka/Novak Djokovic

Last year, Errani and Vavassori earned bragging rights for doubles specialists, beating Swiatek and Ruud to win the inaugural mixed doubles title under the new format. This year, Siniakova and Patten look primed to do the same.

After entering the main draw through qualifying, they came from a set and break down to oust top seeds Sabalenka and Djokovic 1-4, 4-2, [10-2] in 48 minutes to reach the quarterfinals. They won the last three games of the second set and the final eight points of the match tiebreak.

The effort was aided by a dominant finish by Siniakova, who sealed the victory by acing Djokovic on match point.

"You could see in the first set it was just big serves and bigger shots," Siniakova said in her on-court interview. "But I think we want to do it for doubles. It was a great turnaround. I enjoyed it."

Karolina Muchova/Jakub Mensik def. Kristina Mladenovic/Marcelo Arevalo

Muchova returned to the court for the first time since the Wimbledon final, pairing with compatriot Mensik to make a run at the Mixed Double crown. Their campaign got off to a solid start, defeating doubles specialists Kristina Mladenovic and Marcelo Arevalo -- who hold 13 Grand Slams between them -- 4-1, 2-4, [10-7] in 52 minutes to advance.

They await the winner of No. 3 seeds Anisimova/Tien and Navarro/Paul in the quarterfinals.

Elina Svitolina/ Gael Monfils def. Alexandra Eala/Felix Auger Aliassime

It's safe to assume Svitolina and husband Gael Monfils have some of the best team chemistry in this year's event, and it was on full display in their 4-1, 4-1 win over Alexandra Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime in 39 minutes to start the day.

That chemistry will be tested, however, as the partners have a tough test in their next match. Siniakova and Patten stand in the way of a trip to the semifinals.