Serena Williams is set to pair up with Carlos Alcaraz for the mixed doubles at the upcoming U.S. Open, forming a strong duo as they received a wild card entry into the tournament. The U.S. Tennis Association recently confirmed this partnership, with the mixed doubles event commencing on Tuesday and offering a prize of $1 million US for the winning team.
This marks Williams’ return to the U.S. Open after her last appearance in 2022, making a comeback to tennis earlier this summer. While Alcaraz expressed his excitement by posting a message on X, tagging Williams and using a fire emoji, Williams has decided not to participate in singles matches at the event. The USTA initially held a women’s wild card spot, which was later awarded to Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion.
Having recently recovered from a knee injury suffered at Wimbledon, Williams played doubles with her sister Venus at the Cincinnati Open. They might still choose to play together in the U.S. Open. On the other hand, Alcaraz, the two-time U.S. Open men’s champion ranked No. 2, announced his return to defend his singles title after being sidelined due to a right wrist injury since April.
Notably, Williams has a mixed doubles title at the U.S. Open from 1998, even before winning any singles titles there. The USTA revamped the mixed doubles tournament last year into a two-day, 16-team event, aiming to attract top singles players. The current field boasts prominent names, including Sabalenka, Djokovic, Swiatek, and Ruud, among others.
Some alterations were made to the field due to player withdrawals, resulting in new pairings like Pegula and Fritz, Navarro and Paul, Muchova and Mensik, and others receiving wild card entries. Additionally, Diana Shnaider will have the opportunity to find a new partner following Daniil Medvedev’s withdrawal. Two spots in the main draw will be filled through a qualifying tournament, with wild cards granted to specific teams for a chance to compete.
