Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz Team Up for Blockbuster 2026 US Open Mixed Doubles Wild Card
NEW YORK — The 2026 US Open Mixed Doubles Championship presented by Vital Proteins® has delivered a earth-shattering lineup announcement. Headlining the wild card recipients are 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams and reigning men’s singles champion Carlos Alcaraz, who will team up in a star-studded pairing at Flushing Meadows.
The blockbuster duo leads the final wave of entries awarded by tournament organizers, joining a main draw packed with World No. 1s, Grand Slam champions, and fan-favorite duos.
A Historic Return and a Super-Pairing
The tournament marks the highly anticipated competitive return of Serena Williams to the US Open, where she last competed in 2022. Williams boasts a rich history in mixed doubles, having captured the 1998 US Open and 1998 Wimbledon mixed doubles titles alongside Max Mirnyi. She also reached the finals at the 1998 French Open with Luis Lobo and the 1999 Australian Open with Mirnyi.
Over her storied career, Williams has periodically partnered with world-class singles stars in mixed doubles, including former World No. 1s Lleyton Hewitt at the 1998 Australian Open and Andy Murray at Wimbledon in 2019.
For Alcaraz, this marks his second career Grand Slam mixed doubles appearance. The 23-year-old Spaniard made his discipline debut at the 2025 US Open alongside Emma Raducanu, falling in the opening round to eventual runners-up Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper.
Now, Alcaraz joins forces with Williams in a rare partnership bridging two distinct eras of tennis dominance.
Wild Cards and Draw Updates
Alongside Williams and Alcaraz, tournament organizers awarded main draw wild cards to two other notable teams:
- Emma Navarro & Tommy Paul: An all-American pairing featuring two top-10 singles contenders.
- Karolina Muchova & Jakub Mensik: An all-Czech combination blending experienced touch with explosive next-gen talent.
In addition, two wild card entries were granted for Monday’s eight-team Qualifying draw:
- Mirra Andreeva & Andrey Rublev
- Peyton Stearns & Christian Harrison
Team Reshuffles & Re-Pairings
Injuries and schedule changes ahead of the main draw creation forced several direct-entry adjustments:
- Pegula & Fritz Re-Pair: Following injury withdrawals by original partners Jack Draper and Elena Rybakina, American stars Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz reunited, earning direct entry into the main draw via their combined singles rankings.
- Shnaider Awaits Partner: Diana Shnaider, previously paired with Daniil Medvedev, retains direct entry status pending a re-pairing prior to Sunday’s official draw.
- Arevalo & Mladenovic: Following Jelena Ostapenko’s withdrawal, Marcelo Arevalo paired with Kristina Mladenovic, earning direct entry into the qualifying draw via combined doubles rankings.
Confirmed 2026 US Open Mixed Doubles Field
Main Draw (16 Teams Total)
| Entry Type | Team Players | Key Highlights |
| Direct Entry | Aryna Sabalenka & Novak Djokovic | Combined 28 Grand Slam singles titles |
| Direct Entry | Jessica Pegula & Taylor Fritz | Re-paired; 2024 US Open singles finalists |
| Direct Entry | Iga Swiatek & Casper Ruud | Returning 2025 US Open finalists |
| Direct Entry | Belinda Bencic & Flavio Cobolli | Olympic gold medalist & Italian rising star |
| Direct Entry | Amanda Anisimova & Learner Tien | All-American fan favorites |
| Direct Entry | Diana Shnaider & TBA | Awaiting final partner lock-in |
| Wild Card | Serena Williams & Carlos Alcaraz | Marquee marquee generational pairing |
| Wild Card | Emma Navarro & Tommy Paul | All-American top-tier combination |
| Wild Card | Karolina Muchova & Jakub Mensik | All-Czech power team |
| Wild Card | Sara Errani & Andrea Vavassori | Defending US Open Mixed Doubles Champions |
| Wild Card | Taylor Townsend & Alexander Zverev | Grand Slam doubles champion & World No. 2 |
| Wild Card | Leylah Fernandez & Frances Tiafoe | High-energy North American duo |
| Wild Card | Alex Eala & Felix Auger-Aliassime | Global fan favorites |
| Wild Card | Elina Svitolina & Gael Monfils | Married fan-favorite powerhouse duo |
| Qualifier | TBD (Monday Qualifier 1) | Earned via 8-team qualifying tournament |
| Qualifier | TBD (Monday Qualifier 2) | Earned via 8-team qualifying tournament |
Qualifying Draw (8 Teams Competing for 2 Spots)
- Direct Entries: Katerina Siniakova & Henry Patten, Gabriela Dabrowski & Harri Heliövaara, Luisa Stefani & Neal Skupski, Aleksandra Krunic & Mate Pavic, Kristina Mladenovic & Marcelo Arevalo, Erin Routliffe & Lloyd Glasspool.
- Wild Cards: Mirra Andreeva & Andrey Rublev, Peyton Stearns & Christian Harrison.
Fast-Paced Schedule, Scoring Format & Payouts
The 2026 Mixed Doubles Championship features a condensed, fast-paced schedule designed to deliver maximum excitement ahead of the singles main draw.
Schedule
- Monday, August 24 (Qualifying): Grandstand (11:00 AM start). Free access with Fan Access Pass. Eight teams compete for two main draw spots.
- Tuesday, August 25 (First Round & Quarterfinals): Louis Armstrong Stadium (10:00 AM) & Arthur Ashe Stadium (11:00 AM).
- Wednesday, August 26 (Semifinals & Final): Arthur Ashe Stadium (7:00 PM start).
MONDAY, AUG 24 TUESDAY, AUG 25 WEDNESDAY, AUG 26
┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐
│ QUALIFYING │ │ ROUND 1 & QFs │ │ SEMIS & FINAL │
│ 8 Teams Compete│ ───► │ 16-Team Main │ ───► │ Prime-Time │
│ for 2 Spots │ │ Draw │ │ Arthur Ashe │
└─────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘
Match & Scoring Rules
To keep matches fast and broadcast-friendly, modified scoring rules apply:
- Qualifying through Semifinals: Best-of-three sets with short sets to 4 games (tiebreak at 4-4). No-ad scoring is utilized, with a 10-point match tiebreak played in lieu of a full third set.
- Final: Best-of-three full sets to 6 games (tiebreak at 6-6), utilizing no-ad scoring and a 10-point match tiebreak for the third set.
Record Prize Pool
As part of the US Open’s record $108 million total player compensation package, the Mixed Doubles Champions will receive a $1,000,000 payout per team, with the runner-up team earning $500,000.
How to Watch
Fans in the US can stream coverage live across ESPN platforms:
- Tuesday, Aug. 25: ESPN2 (10 a.m. – 3 p.m. ET); ESPN+ (3 p.m. – end of play).
- Wednesday, Aug. 26: Semifinals live on ESPN2 (7 p.m. – 9 p.m. ET); Championship Final live on ESPN and ESPN+ starting at 9 p.m. ET.
