Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz Form US Open Mixed Doubles Powerhouse

Serena Williams returns to the US Open for the first time since 2022, teaming with Carlos Alcaraz via a tournament wild card.

The U.S. Tennis Association announced Saturday that Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz have received a wild card entry into the US Open mixed doubles main draw. This 16-team, two-day event begins Tuesday and offers a $1 million prize to the championship pair. Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, returns to Flushing Meadows for the first time since 2022 following her comeback to professional tennis this summer. Alcaraz, the world No. 2 and two-time US Open men's champion, confirmed his participation via X, tagging Williams with a fire emoji and the message, "Let's gooooo!"

Roster Updates and Wild Card Assignments

The USTA finalized several field changes following multiple player withdrawals. Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, received the women's singles wild card previously held by the tournament. Williams is not scheduled to compete in the singles bracket in New York. While she suffered a knee injury during a first-round loss at Wimbledon, she recently competed in doubles at the Cincinnati Open alongside Venus Williams. The sisters retain the option to enter the US Open doubles draw together.

Carlos Alcaraz enters the tournament to defend his singles title after a right wrist injury sidelined him since April. The mixed doubles field also features the American duo of Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz, who paired up after their original partners, Jack Draper and Elena Rybakina, withdrew due to injuries. Additional wild cards for the main draw were granted to the teams of Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul, as well as Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik.

Historical Context and Tournament Format

Williams previously secured a US Open mixed doubles title in 1998 alongside Max Mirnyi, a victory that preceded all six of her singles titles at the venue. Mirnyi currently serves as a coach for top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka. The USTA revamped the mixed doubles format last year, transitioning it into a condensed competition designed to attract high-ranking singles players. Direct entry into the event is determined by the combined singles rankings of the participants.

Aryna Sabalenka will compete with Novak Djokovic, while world No. 1 Iga Swiatek teams with Casper Ruud. The field includes two-time defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori. Other confirmed pairs are Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien, Alex Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime, Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev, and Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils. Diana Shnaider remains in the bracket and is seeking a new partner following the withdrawal of Daniil Medvedev.

Qualifying Rounds and Final Spots

An eight-team qualifying tournament scheduled for Monday will determine the final two spots in the main draw. The USTA issued qualifying wild cards to the pairings of Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, and Peyton Stearns and Christian Harrison. This qualifying pool consists largely of traditional doubles specialists who were excluded from the event during the previous year's format change. The main draw competition serves as a centerpiece of the USTA's efforts to showcase elite singles talent in a doubles setting.