Full Breakdown
Williams Sisters Return to US Open Doubles on Wild Card
8/26/2026, 7:46:31 PM
Williams Sisters Receive US Open Doubles Wild Card
The United States Tennis Association announced that Serena Williams and Venus Williams have been granted a wild-card entry into the women’s doubles draw at the 2026 US Open. The pair will join the tournament’s main draw that begins in early September, marking their first Grand Slam doubles appearance together since the 2022 US Open.
Background & Context
Serena stepped away from professional tennis after the 2022 US Open, describing her departure as “evolving away” from the sport. She returned to competition in June 2026, first playing doubles at the Queen’s Club event and later entering Wimbledon as a singles wild-card before a knee injury forced her out of a planned doubles partnership with Venus. The sisters reunited at the Cincinnati Open, losing a first-round match to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns. Their mixed-doubles run at the US Open with Carlos Alcaraz—winning a first-round match before a quarter-final loss—provided a high-profile preview of their doubles comeback.
Data & Statistics
- 14 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles together (including US Open victories in 1999 and 2009).
- 27-7 win-loss record in US Open women’s doubles across nine appearances; the upcoming entry will be their 10th.
- Both sisters have earned three Olympic gold medals as a pair.
- Serena’s mixed-doubles quarter-final loss was 5-4, 4-1 to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli.
- Venus received a separate wild-card for the singles draw.
Official Statements & Responses
The USTA issued a statement confirming the wild-card awards for both sisters in women’s doubles and for Venus in singles. Serena’s Instagram post on July 4 expressed disappointment over her Wimbledon withdrawal, describing the knee injury as “heart-breaking” and emphasizing her desire to compete again alongside Venus.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I never expected to be back on this court,” — Venus Williams
- “I think everybody could see: I double-faulted on the first point,” — Carlos Alcaraz
- “It was surreal to play against Carlos,” — Belinda Bencic
- “Playing Serena and Carlos in Arthur Ashe [Stadium] is not easy,” — Flavio Cobolli
- “I'm playing next to the one and only Serena Williams, so what else can I do? Just enjoy and try to do the things she told me to do.” — Carlos Alcaraz
On-the-Ground Reports
During the mixed-doubles opening match, Williams and Alcaraz rallied from a slow start to defeat Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool 5-3, 4-1, drawing enthusiastic cheers from a crowd of roughly 15,000 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
What’s Next
The Williams sisters are slated to begin their women’s doubles campaign in early September, with the tournament’s final scheduled for mid-September. Venus’s singles campaign will start shortly thereafter. Both players have indicated that the doubles entry is part of a broader plan to assess their competitive readiness for future events.
