LONDON (THE GUARDIAN) - Andy Murray and Serena Williams saw their hopes of mixed doubles glory come to an end at Wimbledon on Wednesday (July 10) as they were beaten 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 by top seeds Bruno Soares of Brazil and American Nicole Melichar in the third round.

After dropping the first set thanks to one break of Williams' serve, the pair battled well to take the match into a decider, but Soares and Melichar stepped up a gear in the third to take their place in the quarter-finals.

In front of a packed Court No 2, Murray and Williams enjoyed huge support from the home crowd but, Soares, the former doubles partner of Jamie Murray, and Melichar, who won the mixed doubles title last year, always had the edge.

Soares double-faulted three times at the end of the second set to give Murray and Williams the momentum heading into the decider, but the top seeds pounced with two breaks at the start of the third and held on for victory.

They now face Matwe Middelkoop and Yang Zhaoxuan in the quarter-finals.