Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz have been granted a wild‑card entry into the mixed doubles draw at the 2026 U.S. Open, the United States Tennis Association announced.
The pairing brings together a 23‑time Grand Slam singles champion and the current world No. 2, uniting two generations of tennis stars for the main competition at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
On social media platform X, Alcaraz expressed his enthusiasm, posting, “Let’s gooooo!” alongside an emoji and tagging Williams.
Williams, 44, will make her first appearance at Flushing Meadows since withdrawing from the tour in 2022. After a summer comeback following a four‑year hiatus, she cited her strong record in the discipline, noting her 1998 U.S. Open mixed‑doubles title with Max Mirnyi and her six singles championships in New York. Tournament officials awarded the final women’s singles wild card to 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, confirming Williams will focus on doubles rather than singles.
Alcaraz aims to regain match form and defend his men’s singles title after a four‑month sideline due to a close wrist injury sustained in April, which caused him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon. The partnership marks his second Grand Slam mixed‑doubles appearance; he previously competed at the 2025 U.S. Open with Emma Raducanu.
The Williams‑Alcaraz team joins a 16‑team mixed‑doubles field that has been restructured into a streamlined, high‑stakes event. Other notable entries include world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka paired with Novak Djokovic, American duo Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz, and the defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.
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