A blockbuster pairing
Serena Williams will return to the U.S. Open for the first time since 2022, teaming up with Carlos Alcaraz in mixed doubles. The U.S. Tennis Association announced Saturday that the pair received a wildcard into the main draw. Together they hold 44 Grand Slam titles in singles and doubles.
The mixed doubles competition runs from August 24 to 26, finishing four days before the singles draw begins. The pairing has already become one of the most talked-about stories of the tournament.
A gentle return for both stars
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, returned to tennis this summer. She played women's doubles at the Cincinnati Open on August 17, her first competitive action in years. For her, mixed doubles offers a chance to ease back into match play at a major without the full strain of the singles draw.
Alcaraz, the defending U.S. Open singles champion, is also coming back from injury. The more competitive doubles environment will give both players a better read on their fitness and a chance to sharpen their footwork with real minutes on a match court.
A revamped format
The U.S. Open mixed doubles was revamped last year to include singles stars in a bid to attract more attention to the format. The top six pairs with the best combined singles rankings received direct entry, with another eight getting wildcards. Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori are the only doubles-specialist pairing to receive a main-draw wildcard.
Other pairings, including Britain's Henry Patten alongside top-ranked women's player Katerina Siniakova, will have to come through an eight-team qualifying round. Cynics say Williams and Alcaraz are teaming up for the publicity. But both players have real reasons to play, and fans will get a rare chance to watch two generations of champions share a court.