Serena Williams and Alcaraz unite in US Open mixed doubles

New York: Tennis icons Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz will team up for the US Open mixed doubles tournament, organizers revealed on Saturday. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced the pairings, with the 44-year-old Williams making her first appearance since 2022. Williams, a six-time US Open singles champion, previously won the 1998 mixed doubles title with Max Mirnyi.

Alcaraz, a seven-time Slam singles winner, joins the American for the mixed doubles competition, one of the final three wildcard entries into the main draw, alongside Czech duo Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik, and American pair Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul. Williams last played women's doubles with her sister Venus at the Cincinnati event in 2022, but they fell in the first round.

Mixed doubles action is set to commence on Tuesday and wrap up on Wednesday at the National Tennis Center, where the main US Open tournament kicks off on August 30. With Britain's Jack Draper and Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina bowing out, former partners Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz have been re-paired and secured direct entry into the main draw.

Meanwhile, Diana Shnaider, who was left without a partner when Daniil Medvedev withdrew, will have the opportunity to find a new partner and compete before the draw is finalized on Sunday, ahead of Monday's start of qualifying matches.