Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams Are Teaming Up for 2026 US Open Mixed Doubles
Sabalenka and Djokovic, Swiatek and Ruud, and Pegula and Fritz also headline the stacked mixed doubles draw.
Summary
Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz received a wild card entry for the 2026 US Open mixed doubles tournament
The revamped 16-team bracket takes place over two days and offers a $1 million prize for the winning duo
Williams is making her first competitive appearance at Flushing Meadows since 2022 while Alcaraz returns to defend his men's singles title following a wrist injury
The United States Tennis Association officially announced a powerhouse pairing for the upcoming US Open mixed doubles tournament. Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz received a wild card entry into the main draw. The iconic duo will step onto the court together when the competition begins on Tuesday. Alcaraz confirmed the highly anticipated partnership on social media and posted a celebratory message tagging Williams on X.
Organizers revamped the mixed doubles discipline last year to attract top-tier singles talent. A condensed format now features a 16-team bracket played over just two days. Champions of the event will take home a shared $1 million USD prize. This lucrative setup successfully lured a massive lineup of global tennis superstars. Heavyweights like Aryna Sabalenka partnering with Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek playing alongside Casper Ruud and the American duo of Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz round out the historic draw.
This tournament marks a significant homecoming for Williams. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has not competed at the US Open since 2022. She holds a deep history with the event and captured a mixed doubles championship in New York back in 1998 alongside Max Mirnyi. Fans saw her return to competitive tennis earlier this summer during appearances at Wimbledon and the Cincinnati Open. Williams will strictly focus on doubles action for this trip to Flushing Meadows. The final women’s singles wild card was ultimately awarded to 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.
Alcaraz arrives in New York with massive expectations on his own shoulders. The two-time US Open men’s champion looks to defend his singles title after spending months sidelined by a right wrist injury that kept him out of action since April. Uniting a rising superstar with an undisputed legend of the sport adds immediate blockbuster appeal to the tournament schedule. The pair will likely draw massive crowds to the outer courts as they navigate the opening rounds against qualifying teams.
