By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, August 22, 2026
Photo credit: US Open
The US Open Mixed Doubles field just got another major iconic infusion.
Reigning US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz and 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams will join forces for the first time playing the US Open Mixed Doubles tournament on a wild card.
The US Open Mixed Doubles main draw, which begins Tuesday, August 25th, marks 44-year-old Serena Williams’ first US Open appearance since she fell to Aussie Ajla Tomljanovic at the 2022 US Open.
Former world No. 1 Serena Williams, who partnered 46-year-old Venus Williams in a three-set Cincinnati Open opening-round doubles loss to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns, has won six US Open singles championships, two US Open doubles crowns alongside Venus Williams and she partnered Max Mirnyi, now part of Aryna Sabalenka’s coaching team, to win the 1998 US Open Mixed Doubles title.
The 23-year-old Alcaraz, who has not played since injuring his right wrist defeating Otto Virtanen in his Barcelona Open opener in April, pulled out of Cincinnati last week. Alcaraz was defending Cincinnati champion, defeating Jannik Sinner, who retired from their 2025 Cincinnati Open final.
Overall, Alcaraz has posted a 22-3 record in 2026, winning titles at the Australian Open and in Doha.
Four-time Olympic gold-medal champion Williams and Alcaraz are joined by Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik and Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul as recipients of the final three wild card entries into the Mixed Doubles main draw.
The USTA also announced today these line-up changes:
The following Mixed Doubles transactions were also announced:
- Following withdrawals by their previous teammates Jack Draper and Elena Rybakina, respectively, Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz have re-paired as a team and earned direct entry into the main draw, based on their August 17 combined singles ranking.
- The teams of Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev and Peyton Stearns and Christian Harrison received the two wild card entries into Monday’s eight-team Qualifying draw.
- Diana Shnaider, who was previously directly entered into the main draw with Daniil Medvedev, will have the opportunity to re-pair and retain direct entry by the time the draw is made mid-afternoon on Sunday.
- Following the withdrawal of Jelena Ostapenko, Marcelo Arevalo re-paired with Kristina Mladenovic. That team retained direct entry into the Qualifying draw based on their combined doubles ranking.
The latest competitor field is below.
2026 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship – Confirmed Teams
MAIN DRAW
DIRECT ENTRANTS
Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic
Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz
Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud
Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli
Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien
Diana Shnaider and TBA
WILD CARDS
Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori
Alex Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime
Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe
Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev
Elina Svitolina and Gael MonfilsSerena Williams and Carlos AlcarazJakub Mensik and Karolina Muchova
Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul
QUALIFIERS (2)
QUALIFYING
DIRECT ENTRANTS*
Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten
Gabriela Dabrowski and Harri Heliövaara
Luisa Stefani and Neal Skupski
Aleksandra Krunic and Mate Pavic
Kristina Mladenovic and Marcelo Arevalo
Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool
WILD CARDS Mirra Andreeva and Andrey RublevPeyton Stearns and Christian Harrison
2026 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship Schedule and Format
Monday, August 24 – Qualifying (Eight teams competing for two entries)
Grandstand; 11 a.m. start (Free to attend with Fan Access Pass)
Tuesday, August 25 – First Round and Quarterfinals
Louis Armstrong Stadium; 10 a.m. start (Free to attend with Fan Access Pass)
Arthur Ashe Stadium; 11 a.m. start
Wednesday, August 26 – Semifinals and Final
Arthur Ashe Stadium; 7 p.m. start
Scoring and match format:
- Qualifying through the Semifinals: Best-of-three-set matches with sets to four games; no-ad scoring (tiebreak at four-all); 10-point tie-break in lieu of third set.
- Final: Best-of-three set match with sets to six games (tie-break at six-all); no-ad scoring; 10-point tie-break in lieu of third set.
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