By Amy Tennery
Last year’s champions, Italian duo Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, lost to Russian pair Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev 1-4 4-1 11-9.
“It’s always such an amazing place to be here,” said Williams. “I never expected to be back on this court. They will play the winner of a match between Casper Ruud and Diana Shnaider and Americans Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz. On the other side of the draw, married pair Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina booked their place in the semi-finals, as did Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik.
Alcaraz and Williams Shine Despite Doubles Upset
In a thrilling match, Carlos Alcaraz showcased his skills alongside Serena Williams, hitting a remarkable 120 mph ace that stunned the crowd during the seventh game. Alcaraz, who returned to the court after a long injury absence since April, finished the set with a decisive forehand winner.
Reflecting on the experience, Alcaraz expressed admiration for Williams, stating, “I’m playing next to the one and only Serena Williams. Trying to do the things she told me to do.”
However, the day did not go as well for Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka in the doubles competition. They faced off against seasoned players Henry Patten and Katerina Siniakova, suffering a defeat with scores of 1-4, 4-2, and 10-2. Siniakova capped off the upset with an ace on match point.
Patten noted the volatility of the format, saying, “It wasn’t looking very good for a while; in this format, we play one bad game and all of a sudden the first set’s gone. We knew the same could happen in the second, and we played an amazing tiebreak.”
