The USTA has officially announced that 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams will receive a wild card to play mixed doubles at the 2026 US Open, partnering with defending men's singles champion Carlos Alcaraz. The pairing was confirmed by Alcaraz himself on X, where he tagged Williams and wrote, "Let's gooooo!"
For Williams, this marks her first appearance at Flushing Meadows since 2022. Her last US Open mixed doubles title came back in 1998, alongside partner Max Mirnyi—a full 28 years ago. This past summer, Williams had already made comeback appearances at Wimbledon and the Cincinnati Open, but this time at the US Open, she'll be focusing solely on doubles.
Alcaraz's situation couldn't be more different. The two-time US Open men's singles champion has been sidelined for months since April due to a right wrist injury. His return to New York involves not just partnering with Williams in mixed doubles, but also defending his men's singles title. A legend's farewell-style comeback meeting a rising star's return from injury gives this pairing built-in dramatic tension.
The US Open revamped its mixed doubles format last year specifically to draw more top singles stars into the competition: the 16-team bracket is now compressed into a two-day event, with the champion pair splitting a $1 million prize. The change has clearly worked—this year's mixed doubles draw is stacked with star power, featuring pairings like Aryna Sabalenka with Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek with Casper Ruud, and American duo Jessica Pegula with Taylor Fritz. The final women's wild card spot went to 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.
The tournament kicks off on Tuesday, with Williams and Alcaraz set to face a qualifier team in the first round.
