Serena Williams, Alcaraz unite in US Open mixed doubles

Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, and Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, a seven-time Slam singles winner, will team up for the US Open mixed doubles, the US Tennis Association announced on Saturday. Williams, a six-time US Open singles champion, is returning to the US Open for the first time since 2022. Alcaraz, the second-ranked Spaniard, will be making his US Open debut in mixed doubles.

The wildcard entrants for mixed doubles also included Czechs Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik, and Americans Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul. Williams had previously partnered with her sister Venus for women's doubles at Cincinnati, but they lost in the first round. Mixed doubles matches are scheduled to commence on Tuesday and wrap up on Wednesday at the National Tennis Center, where the primary US Open tournament begins on August 30.

Following the withdrawal of Britain's Jack Draper and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, their former partners - Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz - have been re-paired together and granted direct entry into the main draw. Diana Shnaider, who was left without a partner when fellow Russian Daniil Medvedev withdrew, will now have the opportunity to find a new partner and compete before the draw is finalized on Sunday, ahead of the start of qualifying on Monday.