Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz are set to create one of the most star-studded partnerships at the 2026 US Open after receiving a wildcard into the mixed doubles draw at Flushing Meadows.

The blockbuster pairing was confirmed by the USTA on Saturday, giving tennis fans the chance to see the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion team up with the seven-time major winner. Williams’ appearance marks her competitive return to the US Open for the first time since 2022.

Williams is no stranger to success in mixed doubles at the tournament. She won the US Open mixed doubles title in 1998 alongside Max Mirnyi, adding another major achievement to a career that already includes six US Open singles championships.

For Alcaraz, the partnership represents his second Grand Slam mixed doubles appearance. The Spaniard made his mixed doubles debut at the 2025 US Open alongside Emma Raducanu, but the pair were eliminated in the opening round.

The 2026 draw promises plenty of blockbuster possibilities. Williams and Alcaraz have been placed in the top half alongside top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic. The American-Spanish duo will begin their campaign against a qualifier, but a quarterfinal against either Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli or Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev could await them if they advance.

And that is where the excitement could really begin. If Williams and Alcaraz reach the semifinals, they could face Sabalenka and Djokovic in a mouthwatering clash featuring four of the biggest names in modern tennis.

The tournament has attracted an impressive collection of superstar combinations. Sabalenka and Djokovic are the top seeds, while Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz, Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, and defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori are also among the leading teams.

Williams’ return has generated particular attention because she retired from competitive tennis in 2022 before announcing a comeback this year. She has already returned to action in singles and doubles, making the mixed doubles appearance another major chapter in her remarkable comeback story.

The mixed doubles competition is being staged ahead of the main singles tournament, with the first round and quarterfinals scheduled for Tuesday, August 25, followed by the semifinals and final on Wednesday, August 26.

With a $1 million prize awaiting the champions, the stakes are high—but the biggest prize may be the spectacle itself.

Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz are not simply another wildcard team. They are arguably the headline pairing of the tournament, and their first appearance together at Flushing Meadows is certain to command enormous attention from fans around the world.