Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz get US Open mixed doubles wildcard

Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz get US Open mixed doubles wildcard

The U.S. Tennis Association announced Saturday that Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz have been granted a wildcard into the US Open mixed doubles main draw. The pairing brings together two champions with a combined total of 44 to 46 Grand Slam titles across singles and doubles.

The tournament takes place from 24-26 August, concluding four days before the start of the singles draw. For both players, the event serves as a return to competition following injuries. Williams recently lost a doubles match with her sister Venus at the Cincinnati Open, which was her first appearance since a knee injury at Wimbledon. Alcaraz has been sidelined since April with a right wrist injury.

Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, returned to tennis in June after four years of "evolving away" from the sport. Since her comeback, she has played three doubles matches and competed in singles at Wimbledon, where she lost in three sets to Maya Joint. While she has not yet confirmed if she will play singles in New York, the USTA is holding one women's wildcard for her.

Alcaraz enters the event as the defending US Open singles champion. In February, he became the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam after defeating Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open.

The mixed doubles format was revamped last year to attract more attention by incorporating singles stars, a move that drew criticism from doubles specialists. The new system includes a shorter scoring method where matches before the final require only four games to win a set, no "advantage" scoring, and 10-point match tie-breaks in place of a third set.

The main draw is composed of the top six pairs based on combined singles rankings and eight wildcard entries. Williams and Alcaraz are among the high-profile wildcards. Other notable pairings include:

• World number one Aryna Sabalenka and 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic
• Six-time major champion Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud
• American pair Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz
• Elina Svitolina and husband Gael Monfils, marking the Frenchman's final Grand Slam before retirement

The only doubles specialist pairing to receive a main-draw wildcard is the defending champion duo of Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori. Last year, Errani and Vavassori called the format change "profoundly wrong" in a joint statement, though they eventually won the title and $1m (£740,000) in prize money.

Other players must navigate an eight-team qualifying round starting Monday, 24 August, on Grandstand. This pool includes the top-ranked women's player Katerina Siniakova and Britain's number one Henry Patten, as well as former world number ones Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool. Wildcards for the qualifying event were also granted to the pairings of Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, and Peyton Stearns and Christian Harrison.

While some observers suggest the Williams-Alcaraz pairing is driven by publicity for the players, the tournament, and their shared sportswear brand, there are sporting advantages. The mixed doubles format allows the pair to sharpen footwork and rhythm in a competitive environment. Williams has previously shown a relaxed side in this format, notably when partnering with Andy Murray at Wimbledon in 2019. Williams has stated that "having fun" and playing for her two daughters are her primary motivations, noting that winning matches is "not important."

The event arrives amid several notable absences from the broader US Open. World number one Jannik Sinner will not compete in singles or mixed doubles due to a right knee issue. Jack Draper is also skipping both events due to a long-term arm injury, having missed all four Slams this year.

The mixed doubles main draw begins Tuesday, 25 August, with the final scheduled for Wednesday, 26 August. The winning pair will receive $1million (£733,000) in prize money.