Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz will open their US Open mixed doubles campaign against a qualifier from Monday’s eight-team qualifying tournament, with the draw announced Sunday placing the wildcard pairing against one of the teams still to be determined.
Williams is returning to the US Open for the first time since 2022. The six-time US Open singles champion and Alcaraz, who has won the men’s singles title twice, were awarded a wild card into the 16-team mixed doubles field Saturday.
The mixed doubles draw is compressed in schedule, with the first round and quarterfinals both on Tuesday and the semifinals and final on Wednesday. The winning pair shares $1 million.
Why the qualifier draw matters
Facing a qualifying team is not a soft opening. The qualifying tournament was added this year specifically to give doubles specialists a pathway into the event, after the USTA revamped the format last year toward singles star power and nearly locked doubles-focused players out entirely. Most of the eight teams competing Monday are experienced doubles players who will arrive with match rhythm and partnership chemistry that the Williams-Alcaraz combination will need to replicate quickly.
The seeds and first-round matchups
Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic are the No. 1 seed based on combined singles ranking, the lowest in the field. They open against Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe.
Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz are the No. 2 seed and will face Diana Shnaider and Casper Ruud. That pairing came together because Swiatek, who had been scheduled to play with Ruud again after they reached the final in 2025, withdrew, and Shnaider needed a partner after Daniil Medvedev pulled out.
Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils, who are married, take on Alex Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime. Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli face Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev. Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik will meet one of the qualifying tournament teams. Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul open against Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien. Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev take on two-time defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.
The Williams-Alcaraz storyline
Serena’s return to Flushing Meadows in the mixed doubles comes after she confirmed she would not play singles at this year’s tournament. She made her return to competitive tennis earlier this summer after a nearly four-year absence, playing doubles with Venus at Cincinnati and Wimbledon, where a knee injury forced her to withdraw.
Alcaraz is the defending men’s singles champion, returning from a four-month wrist injury without a competitive match since the French Open. The mixed doubles gives him match time ahead of the singles draw.
Whether the Williams-Alcaraz mixed doubles pairing can overcome their lack of partnership time against experienced teams is the central question of their mixed doubles campaign.
