Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz have been given a wildcard into the US Open mixed doubles main draw, adding two of the sport’s biggest names to a revamped event that is set to run from 24-26 August in New York City.
The pairing is one of the standout additions to a competition the US Open reworked last year in an effort to bring more attention to mixed doubles. The new format has not been universally popular, with a number of doubles specialists criticizing the changes, but it has now delivered the kind of headline matchup the tournament was clearly hoping for.
A short, high-profile window before singles begins
The mixed doubles event will be played over four days, with the draw featuring the top six pairs and another eight entries coming through an eight-team qualifying round. Matches will be decided by four games and 10-point match tie-breaks, making the competition fast-moving and built for quick results.
That compressed setup means the mixed doubles tournament will have limited time to make an impression, but it also raises the stakes. With Serena Williams returning to tennis in June after four years away, every appearance has drawn extra attention. She has already played three doubles matches since coming back, including a loss alongside Venus at the Cincinnati Open on Monday in her first match since injuring her knee at Wimbledon.
Her latest entry also carries some historical weight. Williams won the US Open mixed doubles title in 1998, and this week she will return to the same event with Carlos Alcaraz, one of the leading singles players in the sport. The result is a mixed doubles draw that now includes several high-profile names and at least one pairing that should immediately command attention.
What the wildcard means for the draw
The wildcard for Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz gives the US Open another marquee storyline before the singles competition begins. It also fits the tournament’s broader push to make mixed doubles more visible, even if the format changes have split opinion.
Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori are the only doubles specialist pairing to receive a main-draw wildcard, which adds another layer to the event’s identity. The draw now blends elite singles names with established doubles expertise, but the spotlight will clearly be on whether the Williams-Alcaraz pairing can turn its wildcard into a serious run when play begins on 24-26 August.
