NEW YORK – In an exciting announcement for tennis fans, Serena Williams will join forces with rising star Carlos Alcaraz to compete in the mixed doubles event at the U.S. Open. The U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) confirmed this thrilling pairing on Saturday, granting them a wild card entry into the tournament.
The mixed doubles main draw is set to kick off on Tuesday, and the winning team will share a substantial prize of $1 million. This year marks Williams’ first appearance at the U.S. Open since 2022, as she makes her much-anticipated return to the court.
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, returned to competitive tennis this summer and is generating significant buzz with her mixed doubles debut alongside Alcaraz. The Spanish tennis sensation expressed his enthusiasm on X, stating, “Let’s gooooo!” along with a fire emoji, tagging Williams in his post.
While Williams is not scheduled to participate in singles matches during this tournament, the USTA had previously reserved a wild card for her, which has now been allocated to American Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion. Williams had earlier competed in singles at Wimbledon but faced a knee injury that led to her first-round exit.
In her recent outing at the Cincinnati Open, Williams played doubles with her sister Venus, and there is still a possibility they might choose to team up again at the U.S. Open.
Alcaraz, who has been sidelined since April due to a right wrist injury, is eager to defend his U.S. Open singles title. His return is highly anticipated, particularly as he is currently ranked No. 2 in the world.
Williams has a storied history at the U.S. Open, having won a mixed doubles title in 1998 before claiming any of her six singles championships. That victory came in partnership with Max Mirnyi, a player who now coaches top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka.
The mixed doubles tournament has evolved significantly; the USTA revamped it last year into a two-day, 16-team event aimed at attracting top singles players. This year, few pairings are more formidable than that of Williams and Alcaraz, both icons in their own right.
The USTA also announced updates to the tournament field following withdrawals from several players. Americans Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz will partner up after their previous partners, Jack Draper and Elena Rybakina, withdrew due to injuries. Additionally, teams consisting of Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul, as well as Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik, received the remaining wild cards into the main draw.
As the excitement builds for the U.S. Open, Diana Shnaider remains in the field and will have the opportunity to find a new partner after Daniil Medvedev’s withdrawal.
The current field is shaping up to be competitive, featuring pairings such as Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic, Pegula and Fritz, Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, among others. The remaining two spots in the mixed doubles draw will be decided through an eight-team qualifying tournament on Monday, with wild cards granted to Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, as well as Peyton Stearns and Christian Harrison, to participate in this event.
This year’s U.S. Open promises to be an unforgettable event as fans witness the triumphant return of Serena Williams alongside the talented Carlos Alcaraz, both vying for a new title in mixed doubles.
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