US Open 2026: Serena Williams To Skip Singles, Partners Carlos Alcaraz In Mixed Doubles Return

Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion and Carlos Alcaraz, a seven-time major winner holding a combined 44 Grand Slam titles, received a wildcard entry into the US Open mixed doubles main draw. The partnership marks a return from injury for both players, BBC Sport reported.

Williams made her return to tennis in June, four years after "evolving away" from the sport. She has played three doubles matches since her return and made her singles comeback at Wimbledon, losing in three sets to Maya Joint. Williams will not compete in the singles draw in New York City. Tournament organisers awarded the final singles wildcard to American Sofia Kenin.

On Monday, Williams lost a doubles match alongside her sister Venus at the Cincinnati Open. It was her first appearance since suffering a knee injury at Wimbledon. Meanwhile, Alcaraz returns to action after spending more than four months out with a wrist injury.

Star-Studded Mixed Field

The mixed doubles tournament runs from 24 to 26 August. It concludes four days before the singles draw begins.

The top six pairs based on combined singles rankings secure direct entry into the main draw. Eight other teams receive wildcards. Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori are the only doubles specialist pairing to receive a main-draw wildcard.

Several high-profile singles stars feature in the draw. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka partners 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic. Other notable pairs include Americans Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz, alongside six-time major champion Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud. Elina Svitolina teams up with her husband Gael Monfils in his final Grand Slam appearance before retirement.

Britain's Henry Patten and top-ranked women's player Katerina Siniakova missed out on an automatic spot. They must compete in an eight-team qualifying round to enter the main draw. Siniakova publicly criticized the USTA over the entry and wildcard criteria, stating, "Clearly there is still more to achieve if I am playing qualifying,". She slammed the tournament's revamped format for prioritizing commercial profit by granting direct main-draw access to high-profile singles stars at the expense of dedicated doubles specialists.

Controversial Format Revamp

Organisers revamped the US Open mixed doubles format last year to attract singles stars. The move drew significant criticism from traditional doubles specialists.

The updated format features shorter scoring rules. Matches before the final require only four games to win a set. The system eliminates advantage scoring and uses 10-point match tie-breaks instead of a third set.

Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori issued a joint statement last year criticising the changes as "profoundly wrong". They were the only doubles specialist pairing invited to compete in the main draw last year.

Despite their initial opposition, the Italian duo won the tournament and its $1mn (£740,000) prize money. The pair later said they had "completed their mission".

Motivations Behind Partnership

Williams said her primary motivation for returning to tennis is playing in front of her two daughters. The American said winning matches was "not important". She instead placed an emphasis on "having fun".

Williams previously embraced the mixed doubles format at Wimbledon in 2019, where she partnered Andy Murray.

Cynics suggest the Williams-Alcaraz partnership is a publicity exercise for the players, the US Open, and their shared global sportswear sponsor.

However, the pairing offers tangible sporting benefits. The event provides a gentle return to the court, allowing both players to test their fitness and find rhythm after lengthy injury absences. The format serves as a platform to sharpen footwork in a competitive environment.