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Serena Williams, Carlos Alcaraz Set Wild-Card U.S. Open Doubles

8/24/2026

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Summary

Williams Alcaraz Mixed Doubles

Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz will compete as a wild-card mixed-doubles team at the 2026 U.S. Open.
Williams returns to the U.S. Open for the first time since 2022.
Alcaraz returns after a four-month wrist injury and will defend his singles title.
Semifinal matches use four-game sets, no-ad scoring, and a 10-point tiebreak.
The winning pair will split a $1 million prize.

Summary

USTA Revamps

USTA overhauled 2025 mixed doubles to feature top singles players, aiming to boost viewership.
Doubles specialists called the revamp “profoundly wrong” and said it threatens their discipline.
Men’s doubles world No. 1 Henry Patten warned the ATP’s 2028 plan to cut doubles draws could undermine the format.
Vital Proteins serves as title sponsor for the 2026 mixed doubles championship.

History

Historical Context

The US Open first used James Van Alen’s nine-point sudden-death tiebreak in 1970, and in 1973 champion earnings rose to $25,000. Building on the mixed-doubles match-tiebreak adopted in 2003, the 2025 revamp pairs Serena Williams with Carlos Alcaraz and offers a $1 million purse, signaling a dramatic escalation in prize money globally.

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Williams Alcaraz Mixed Doubles

Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz will compete as a wild-card mixed-doubles team at the 2026 U.S. Open.
Williams returns to the U.S. Open for the first time since 2022.
Alcaraz returns after a four-month wrist injury and will defend his singles title.
Semifinal matches use four-game sets, no-ad scoring, and a 10-point tiebreak.
The winning pair will split a $1 million prize.

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