Serena Williams is set to join forces with Carlos Alcaraz in an exciting mixed doubles partnership as she makes her comeback to the U.S. Open. The U.S. Tennis Association recently announced that Williams and Alcaraz received a wild card entry into the tournament, with the mixed doubles competition starting on Tuesday and offering a prize of $1 million US for the winning pair.
This year marks Williams’ return to the U.S. Open after skipping the tournament in 2022. The legendary 23-time Grand Slam singles champion made her tennis comeback earlier this summer. Alcaraz expressed his enthusiasm by posting on social media with a message of encouragement for Williams.
While Williams will not be competing in singles at the U.S. Open, American Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open winner, was awarded the women’s wild card spot. Following a knee injury at Wimbledon, Williams teamed up with her sister Venus for doubles at the Cincinnati Open, leaving open the possibility of them playing together at the U.S. Open.
Alcaraz, the two-time U.S. Open men’s champion ranked No. 2, confirmed his return to defend his singles title after recovering from a right wrist injury that had sidelined him since April. Notably, Williams previously won a mixed doubles title at the U.S. Open in 1998 before clinching any of her six singles titles.
The mixed doubles event at the U.S. Open was revamped last year into a two-day, 16-team competition aimed at attracting top singles players like Williams and Alcaraz. Updates to the tournament field were made due to player withdrawals, including new pairings like Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz, and wild card entries for Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul, as well as Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik.
The USTA also confirmed that Diana Shnaider will have the opportunity to find a new partner after Daniil Medvedev withdrew from the event. The current lineup includes a mix of top players, with remaining spots to be decided through a qualifying tournament prior to the main draw.