Serena Williams to make US Open return alongside Carlos Alcaraz in blockbuster mixed doubles pairing

Serena Williams will join forces with Carlos Alcaraz to form a blockbuster mixed doubles pairing in her return to the US Open.

The US Tennis Association announced on Saturday that Williams and Alcaraz had been handed a wild card for the year’s final Grand Slam. The mixed doubles main draw begins Tuesday.

It will be the 44-year-old’s first time playing at the US Open since 2022. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion returned to tennis earlier this summer.

Williams is yet to confirm if she will play singles in New York but the USTA is still holding one wild card if the six-time champion wants to compete.

Williams played singles at Wimbledon, losing in the first round, before teaming up with older sister Venus to play doubles at the Cincinnati Open.

In their first match together since the 2022 US Open, the sisters were beaten by Peyton Stearns and Marta Kostyuk, 6-2, 1-6, 10-8.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, announced this week he would return to defend his US Open singles title after being sidelined since April with a right wrist injury.

News of his comeback – and his partnership with Williams – is a huge boost for fans after rival Jannik Sinner pulled out.

The world No 1 announced on Friday that he will miss the US Open with a knee injury.

In a statement on social media, the Italian wrote: ‘Even though I have been working hard with my team and my medical staff, we have now had to make the difficult decision that I will not be able to compete at the US Open this year.

‘We have been back on court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realised that I still need more time to recover from my right knee issue.

‘I’m obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart. I was very much looking forward to coming back and playing in the electric atmosphere in front of the great fans there.’

Sinner turned pro in 2018 and has never missed a Grand Slam tournament in his entire career, winning five in total – including the US Open two years ago and Wimbledon this summer.

The 25-year-old has been dominant so far in 2026, winning the first five ATP Masters 1000 events, two of which in the US in Indian Wells and Miami.