Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams will partner in the mixed doubles tournament at the US Open, tournament organizers announced on Saturday.
The marquee pairing brings together two of the biggest names in tennis for the Grand Slam event at Flushing Meadows in New York. Williams is making her first appearance at the tournament since 2022, while Alcaraz is set to make his return to competitive play after four months out with a wrist injury. Together, the American icon and the Spanish star hold 30 Grand Slam titles.
Alcaraz and Williams received one of the final three wildcard invitations awarded for the mixed doubles draw. The tournament features a compressed two-day schedule, taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
While Alcaraz prepares for his competitive comeback in New York, his main rival Jannik Sinner will miss the tournament. Sinner, the Italian world number one, withdrew from the US Open after failing to fully recover from a right knee injury.
Star-studded mixed doubles lineup
The organizers granted the remaining two mixed doubles wildcard entries to Czech duo Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik, and American pair Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul. Competitors in the draw will need to navigate three knockout rounds to reach Wednesday's final.
The mixed doubles field features several other high-profile partnerships across the ATP and WTA tours. World number one Aryna Sabalenka is paired with Serbian legend Novak Djokovic, while multi-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek will partner Norwegian player Casper Ruud. Ukrainian star Elina Svitolina is also set to play alongside her husband, French veteran Gaël Monfils.
Williams previously warmed up for her doubles return by competing at the Cincinnati Open. Playing alongside her elder sister Venus Williams, the duo competed in women's doubles for the first time since 2022, though they suffered a first-round defeat.
Return to Flushing Meadows
Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes in tennis history, having captured 23 Grand Slam singles titles during her career before stepping away from full-time competition following the 2022 US Open. Her return to Flushing Meadows marks her first appearance at the venue where she previously won six singles titles.
Alcaraz returns to action after a wrist injury halted his season earlier in the year. The Spanish star won the US Open singles title in 2022, marking his first career Grand Slam victory.
The mixed doubles competition will take place over Tuesday and Wednesday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
