Serena Williams partners with Carlos Alcaraz for U.S. Open doubles
by Alex Butler · UPIAug. 22 (UPI) -- Serena Williams will partner with Carlos Alcaraz for a superstar mixed doubles squad at the 2026 U.S. Open, tournament organizers announced Sunday.
The mixed doubles draw for the 2026 U.S. Open will be held Sunday in Flushing, N.Y. Qualifiers being Monday, with main draw play continuing Tuesday and Wednesday.
"Let's goooo," Alcaraz wrote Saturday on X.
The mixed doubles field features several other high-profile teams, including a union of top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and No. 5 Novak Djokovic of Serbia. No. 17 Casper Ruud of Norway and No. 5 Iga Swiatek of Poland are among the other notable entries.
Italian Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who beat Swiatek and Ruud in the 2025 mixed doubles finale, will look to defend their crown.
Williams, who ended a four-year hiatus and made her tennis return in June, sustained a knee injury during her first-round loss to Australian Maya Joint at Wimbledon 2026 on June 30 in London.
She is not planning to play in the singles tournament of the final Grand Slam this season.
Alcaraz (No. 2) will end a four-month hiatus, triggered by a wrist injury, when he takes the court with Williams for the mixed doubles competition. The singles draws for the tournament will be held Thursday in Flushing.
Main-draw singles play for the U.S. Open will be held from Aug. 30 to Sept. 13 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.