Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz will team up in mixed doubles at the U.S. Open.
The winner of 39 Grand Slam titles — 23 singles, 14 doubles and two mixed doubles — Williams will be appearing in her first U.S. Open since 2022.
She stepped away from tennis then, declining to term it a “retirement.” She gave birth to her second daughter and engaged in business endeavors before returning to play in select events this season, beginning with the HSBC Championships in London in June. She turns 45 next month.
The U.S. Tennis Association announced Saturday that Williams and Alcaraz had been granted a wild-card entry into the tournament.
Alcaraz, 23, holds seven Grand Slam championships and is the defending U.S. Open singles champion. He also won in 2022.
The Spaniard has not played since he withdrew from the Barcelona Open in April, citing a right wrist injury. He missed both the French Open and Wimbledon but defeated Novak Djokovic in the final of the Australian Open in January.
The mixed doubles portion of the U.S. Open was revamped last year. It was removed from the framework of the main tournament, meaning players no longer need to juggle singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
Qualifying begins Monday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. Eight teams will compete for two entries.
Play will continue Tuesday with 16 teams in the field. The semifinals and finals will be played Wednesday night.
Competing teams, in addition to Williams and Alcaraz, include Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic, Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz, Diana Shnaider and Daniil Medvedev, Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien, and Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev.
Alexandra Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime, Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe, the married team of Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils, and defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori also will take part.
The Italian team of Errani and Vavassori won the French Open mixed doubles competition in June — their fourth mixed doubles Grand Slam title.
–Field Level Media
