# US Open mixed doubles 2026: Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz given wildcard draw

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-08-22 16:07 UTC · Category: Sports

## Executive Summary
Tennis icon Serena Williams returns to the US Open in a high-profile mixed doubles pairing with Carlos Alcaraz via a tournament wildcard.

## Intelligence Brief
Serena Williams has returned to the US Open to compete in the mixed doubles tournament, pairing with Carlos Alcaraz. The duo was granted a wildcard entry for the 2026 event, according to official announcements from US Open Tennis. While Williams is returning to the tournament for this specific event, coverage from ESPN clarifies that she will not be participating in the US Open singles competition. Other players granted wildcards for the mixed doubles draw included the pairing of Navarro and Paul. The partnership between Williams and Alcaraz has already seen action on the court, though ESPN reports that the pair has since been knocked out of the competition.


Major news outlets have heavily documented the pairing, with The New York Times and The Guardian highlighting how the return of Serena Williams thrilled the New York crowd. BBC and AP News also provided coverage of the team-up, with the latter providing photographic documentation of the top tennis stars. The narrative across these reports emphasizes the spectacle of the pairing, while Yahoo Sports noted that the announcement sparked significant debate among fans, with reactions ranging from those who felt the pairing made no sense to those describing the move as a slay. This event is significant as it marks a high-profile return to the court for Serena Williams. The context provided by NBC News and CBS News emphasizes that this mixed doubles appearance serves as her return to the US Open.


By teaming up with Carlos Alcaraz, a current top star, the tournament created a cross-generational pairing that drew substantial international attention from outlets including Sky Sports and Al Jazeera, underscoring the global interest in Williams' presence at the event regardless of the specific format of play. Future developments will likely focus on the aftermath of their exit from the mixed doubles draw. Since ESPN has already confirmed that Williams and Alcaraz are out of the tournament, subsequent coverage may address whether this appearance signals further competitive returns for Williams or if it was a standalone event for the 2026 US Open. For now, the factual record established by US Open Tennis and various reporting agencies confirms the wildcard status, the pairing, and the eventual conclusion of their run in the doubles bracket.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| Yahoo | Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz reflect on their relationship with tennis | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikAFBVV95cUxQZWNQVkRZWHRSR0NjNlJUWGg5Z0hUMkFQM2dodjFhbERhZjJzLUV0V0RhcGxrYkUxdWZGM1I1Z1pJSEl4Tkk4T0VGMG8zdHZpOWcwZ1JfYTdDQ0w3VjY3ejY2Ml91LXY3X1NOS25HNjl6Y1d2Nm44emVLa04tTVU1cWV3YVU1TUF2ZGJCSzBoVXc?oc=5) |
| Tennishead | Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz have reason to feel aggrieved at the US Open after their mixed doubles exit | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMizwFBVV95cUxQNExGVDhSZy1PdWtGSG9heGNxR21seFB6QUhFRlprWjFmMjJ3d2oyYkpoX2g5ZXA1YW1qVnJHUDVITGpXOVZicFdZem9WZzQyaW01MTJmbVo1RjhzNE9LR0N0R3duOWtJOWl1QTJqR2tUdnlqOHdtNDhJamNzUFJrSHB0VTExNzAxUHE1NmFPRWZuSTZmRFhNYi1FNTF1cTF1UmRMRmlQZ2J2OGs2d1h3QzZWbXA2eGV6cXZjbm5SdG03N0N0TmVmRnI1d2xvc00?oc=5) |
| Sky Sports | Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz exit US Open mixed doubles in quarter-finals; top seeds Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka out in first round | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiogJBVV95cUxPanl1Ml9oLW1CRmhETEwyZ2Z0a0V5RXhDOUo2enBHZWRzcTJuOWRXS2JDTFBxOVpjWFdpM3p5QjVjVEZwa0dGSWpTNGVkTWRURGZVZ3ZtT3lIREltZGpmX2YybXRyWi1WRDNLSGVMYS1qdW1lcGVheWZ2ZUhBeTNnQUoza0U4cDNLS2ZwRlJoaDZnNW9XWEM1WG02NWRUWXEycG51cUtuV25wbFNuekNYZmpoUTRRaVhJbWduNU82UXB3WTAzVEptZ2x1UWhYRGl0eU9ha1dGRnhkTS1TLWpyOEZNcUZYdjg0U2JsWU9XVW9PSU1YLXhudGY0TkV5Y2d2RnVGbWVWS1JiR1VRLTJNa0I2UlZhTGI0UWxxVWlJaFUwQQ?oc=5) |
| ESPN | Serena, Alcaraz open US Open mixed doubles vs. Routliffe, Glasspool | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi1gFBVV95cUxNNFVuQy1wd1p1ajF5WVZpOGVaMmQyTE9LRXNxWjZkYTlXdTB0cmlhdjZ6MlZVT3U4RGt0S0p6eEJ3bWZ0a3poNnZ3c3VwLTJWWXM4dFZsX3ZWcGpURjZSbWMzWk42cVFPWW83VWdQRVU4Q1EwcmlHMmsyT2Z1UURVRFpHZ0h0U2pWMm5RaWVhcmJPdnB0Y0lHbHVCaDRWZnM0YzVvcXZHbV96V2RXSEVTNno2bzNSSEhyWF9zWndoZ0JYUS0tVlNhRlotbmR2ZmJZZnlJUDNB?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Sports | Williams-Alcaraz fall in US Open mixed quarter-finals | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihAFBVV95cUxNLXR3N3RQNlR0bkVoRE1nanFmMnl2cWxlWV8zb3NqaXNjRDk2Y3phZ0lpdV9SQjU4Wmsxa1Nub2wyVmZ6SGh1SV84dEhwV0NSaUNpNlV5UENDcXU1dXpDSGFGa1hTbnpOczd6amMzY01YVjJjMkhQRHZDeXF1QnUzTnFySE4?oc=5) |
| People.com | Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams Have a Dramatic US Open Doubles Debut, Plus Kacey Musgraves and More | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMioAFBVV95cUxNMWhsX0ljTjRIc1ZqYy1Ja2U4bE5lSXVINVkxVmU5SnE2Y1ZNak01OW1hM1R0Ulh0bjNWREtfTXJQOHNDcWpMWGd5MGVjVjZsLTBJNnZSR0x5MERPanNHbE9LNXZMaWRrWDVQUUNDYUVNdTdEcUJTWjlJWFNyM1paNkV0c2g1WFdIY1pYaFhvM0V0WUQ0MnlvQk1GWU1vbUxj?oc=5) |
| Bounces | Ben Rothenberg | This Time, Singles Stars Shine in Mixed | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiiwJBVV95cUxOUFhUbmQ4YlJyUmpTcHJSazJfMmxaelJFZHJYLTZ6SEM3dVVLaTNmNUpvSzU4ajl1MVRtc29RMjhSWUY0NEoyWEFhQi1yLUIzMm1RTG02QXU0bzlLaGVUOFhGS1d1dFA1OGtERzVNbFhqeXRMZU1VMm5PVVRRMVRsaDFVWWZFamI3RDNFSS1MdVVEdWl1ZVFrUUxka1RRdEs2T2dIY1VvNm5nTFozdG9vaWltRnUzLXdQRi1zMncwS01XbGl2T1pHMGxfdmo2eEhHaEhzSEJjZ1UzX2RNWkFGTi1Sb3J6OTRvOTNkVzhQNjZ3RjdZQU1DV255TjNGWHR2aXc0TUMxNDk0MTQ?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Sports | ‘Made it easy’ – Carlos Alcaraz praises Serena Williams after US Open mixed doubles appearance | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiiAFBVV95cUxOUlZ3UG1WZGdfV3JmMWtLdUU3OUhkcnI2ZkRrQzNmZ2c4OWdpT1RaRHdVSTE1VTVUR3BjbEUxclRuaWtZTExHOTBWZmpfaWJTRkNzVjh0ZktDSGJDX29CODVNdjlKcWpJOXJYUHN6QzRtX2NTczQzSms4TW5uZnJBVmdROGVyNVpI?oc=5) |
| Al Jazeera | Serena Williams, Carlos Alcaraz fall in US Open mixed doubles quarterfinal | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitwFBVV95cUxNcXg3U3dzczFtUHZFM2dtbDR1ZGN6TmJheEdhVVZVd3RrS3prcS1BYWo3WXhlbTZZNzFzeGNXc0l6ejlQdFUwYWxieHZOT2V0MFgxZ0lhQzVzR0J3VE50c3NMS0lrT2E2NEJPOGdQVVRaZGVFWXl5djBGOGR1WWNaRkxLa2NPS1pBTV9vRjZDRm5JVE5nTy1hX3JaZnEyc09WUnBZRHF0bDMwVXdNbThxU3JfVm5VUFHSAbwBQVVfeXFMTi1yYmVSMHNrSUdjOEE2OGdYZHVpdWN4QVd5YXRCYUtaR3FCNnk0UWhRZVprTnhQRjM3MFJaemI0UzlCMDR5bUJIWEsyQW1wMTJlMWNVcWk3R2Zsd0RCMk1TNlBGVUFPbWtQYnpSM2FCNzFrU0pfMHhkZUZ5bDItMkN5Rmt2VDN1TU1scUgzNkdWQUhXcE1XSU9xWDV) |
| The New York Times | U.S. Open mixed doubles: Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz steal show in defeat as singles stars triumph | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirAFBVV95cUxORnNBV2ZiVXFraDhkNDVYd3VQZWNZYkhSYVNzZWhOR1REUU53UjdLR05OWFZPWldld0tITG5QUFI2bFFaVzhZMUs1djJNOWd2dk5fcmR1aXFSZXY5Yng1QVhmbWJSMHZTbHJIa3JhcHlqOWlSdFV1YTl5bDVwZTZaYnhKY3BGUHpPYTNZQzlUYm5EQTF1VkxfWjR5c3dYc2tGRWdJNmtBcHI1WXhX?oc=5) |
| The Cut | Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz Had a Time at the U.S. Open | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihAFBVV95cUxNSWt6THRYSkRpQVFyMy1CWTVobFNsd3VhdV9mUTBGUnhyZ3lDbGtNQ2xxZktHY2R1Nm85Q2VTeU5VT3hPcEtsWHduTmNJZkM5SFBLSFhBeHJjaUVTVERhNnZOZl93dnhnTmRYc2x2Zld6V3dDZDREX1N3WERpMEFheExLME8?oc=5) |
| Yahoo Sports | Serena Williams Says She ‘Never Expected’ US Open Return as Carlos Alcaraz Admits He Was ‘Really Nervous’ | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihgFBVV95cUxNNzN6VjRsVTNOVy1lT1ZZQWtoTmUzb2UyTDNXQjRocVI1ZGJjOHBNMFJGODh0MGYwOUFVTk1VanVRbVg2WmpmNzdhOHU3al85THh1WjFaUXUxc2ZvODRDRnZ6ekI2SWUtWEhSUGlYTjBjbDdzZlMxNmlXX1N1UmR0Nmt2azF6UQ?oc=5) |
| People.com | Carlos Alcaraz Says He Did Whatever Serena Williams ‘Told Me to Do’ During Mixed Doubles Run at US Open | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMilAFBVV95cUxOUWgzd2NtRmNWUnFWZm9DUXMxdnBrdDVxVkd2M3dzTUI1ZnRBS2dXX1h1VVA0MVliU1NlcUNDUGY4eWZ0Wlh3WHpNUl9fNEhtd2g5SVhUN3k1SUxtbHo0cUF5Y1hHR3QxVHJuY2U1MWxNZXp0YV9JZDlDa0FNa2lpcW1HYk50aHRCb2xMV21Hend4NEFU?oc=5) |
| NBC Sports | Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz knocked out of mixed doubles at the U.S. Open | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiuAFBVV95cUxOVFdnaVFka0xpTTJYVmJTN0J4Q0k2ZUlISEpYR2thUWp5aUZ6NFRIN0pRVUVLdHdNcDh5NzVsZF95bzBpbjh1WTRJUmhENi10SWRpOE9XQmlwNk9lSGJZXzh4cUxfUUI2T2huQXFhSHo5ZEJVTVVJb2tabXlDRUtHM0doaDdaaGxNWDc0TDZtSnladC1xQ1ZoX0Q1ZG5tNGdWVW9BdnpQcll2SzBvM2VrVF9BdjZaeklO?oc=5) |
| USA Today | US Open mixed doubles updates: Favorites fall as semifinals are set | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwAFBVV95cUxOTzB5SkhmU01XTmNfbDcza2RwR21KX25HUnpTWnFnUnA4d0Zzb0RhbGdRLWk1cUd1cGp1R3FMbVF4cS1DeVEycHVSSllDVG0wRnJQV3NHZEFicTBxYUZqMC1kVlNjTjNpUVNGWTNvU3IxaThhRXVfd1dFRGk2ZlVBZERHUkdzb2FGb2E5WDExM0hJTTJPN21teGw4S0s4dEw5eFc0cW9GTWxvQUhsNUg2WUttSjBzRExGc2h4cGRlNFo?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-08-22/us-open-mixed-doubles-2026-serena-williams-and-carlos-alcaraz-given-wildcard*