Serena Williams is set to team up with Carlos Alcaraz, forming a formidable mixed doubles partnership for her comeback at the U.S. Open. The U.S. Tennis Association confirmed on Saturday that Williams and Alcaraz received a wild card entry into the tournament’s mixed doubles main draw, which kicks off on Tuesday with a prize of $1 million up for grabs.
This marks Williams’ first appearance at the U.S. Open since 2022, following her return to the tennis circuit earlier this summer. While Alcaraz expressed his excitement by posting “Let’s gooooo!” on X, tagging Williams and using a fire emoji, Williams has decided not to compete in the singles event in New York.
Although the USTA had held a women’s wild card spot in anticipation of Williams’ participation, it was ultimately awarded to American Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion. Williams had recently suffered a knee injury during her first-round exit at Wimbledon but later teamed up with her sister Venus for the doubles event at the Cincinnati Open.
In related news, Alcaraz revealed his intention to defend his U.S. Open singles title after recovering from a right wrist injury that had sidelined him since April. Williams, who had previously clinched a mixed doubles title at the U.S. Open in 1998 alongside Max Mirnyi, will now partner with Alcaraz in a revamped mixed doubles tournament that aims to attract top singles players.
Among the updates to the U.S. Open field, Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz will unite as a team following the withdrawal of their initial partners. Additionally, the remaining two wild cards for the main draw were awarded to the pairs of Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul, as well as Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik. Diana Shnaider will have the opportunity to find a new partner after Daniil Medvedev’s withdrawal from the event.
Notable pairs in the current field include Sabalenka and Djokovic, Pegula and Fritz, Swiatek and Ruud, and Bencic and Cobolli, among others. The final two slots will be determined through an eight-team qualifying tournament, with the USTA granting wild cards to Andreeva and Rublev, as well as Stearns and Harrison, to participate in the competition alongside traditional doubles specialists.