Serena Williams Returns to Tennis With Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open
New York is opening the door for Serena Williams’ return to tennis. The 44-year-old has accepted a mixed doubles wild card alongside Carlos Alcaraz, which will mark her first competitive appearance at Flushing Meadows since 2022. UK readers following the tournament can also compare the latest tennis free bet offers before the action gets under way.
There is one important detail for anyone looking for the pair’s match: Williams and Alcaraz do not need to qualify. They have been given direct entry into the 16-team main draw and will begin their campaign on Tuesday 25 August against one of Monday’s qualifying teams.
Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz: US Open 2026 at a glance
- Competition: US Open Mixed Doubles Championship
- Serena/Alcaraz entry: Main-draw wild card
- First match: Tuesday 25 August
- First-round opponents: A qualifier
- Tuesday session start in the UK: From 15:00 BST
- Venue: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
- Possible quarter-final: Bencic/Cobolli or Townsend/Zverev
- Possible semi-final: Sabalenka/Djokovic
- UK TV: Sky Sports Tennis / Sky Sports+ / NOW
Is Serena Williams really returning to tennis?
Williams returned to professional competition during the 2026 grass-court season after almost four years away. Her Wimbledon singles comeback ended with a three-set first-round defeat to Maya Joint, followed by a knee problem that forced her to withdraw from the women’s doubles alongside Venus Williams.
She later returned to doubles action with Venus in Cincinnati, giving her another competitive test before committing to New York. The US Open mixed doubles therefore represents a continuation of her comeback, rather than a one-off exhibition appearance.
There is also an important limit to the return: Williams is not currently scheduled to play women’s singles at the 2026 US Open. Her confirmed appearance at Flushing Meadows is in the mixed doubles with Alcaraz.
Serena is the real boss of tennis.” — Andy Murray
Murray made the comment when discussing his memorable mixed doubles partnership with Williams at Wimbledon in 2019. Williams and Murray reached the third round together.
Why Carlos Alcaraz makes this partnership even more interesting
Alcaraz has not competed on the ATP Tour since April because of a wrist injury. The problem kept him out of Roland Garros and Wimbledon and later forced him to withdraw from Cincinnati. His US Open return was not confirmed until August. That means his first competitive appearance after roughly four months out will come alongside one of the greatest players in tennis history.
Mixed doubles is not completely new to him either. He made his Grand Slam mixed doubles debut at the 2025 US Open alongside Emma Raducanu, losing his opening match to Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper.
What each player brings to the partnership
- Williams: huge doubles experience, aggressive returning and a powerful first serve.
- Alcaraz: movement, improvisation and elite court coverage.
- The unknown: both arrive with less recent competitive tennis than usual.
- The format: short sets before the final leave very little room for a slow start.
How does the US Open mixed doubles format work?
From qualifying through to the semi-finals, matches are played best of three sets, with sets to four games. There is no-ad scoring, a tie-break at 4-4 and, instead of a full third set, a 10-point match tie-break.
The final switches to traditional six-game sets, while keeping no-ad scoring and the deciding match tie-break.
| Stage | Format |
|---|---|
| Qualifying | Sets to four games |
| First round | Sets to four games |
| Quarter-finals | Sets to four games |
| Semi-finals | Sets to four games |
| Final | Traditional six-game sets |
| Deciding set | 10-point match tie-break |
US Open betting options as Serena and Alcaraz take centre stage
Mixed doubles markets can appear later and move quickly. At the time of research, there was no verified outright price available for Williams/Alcaraz to win the mixed doubles on the approved bookmaker pages checked, so there is no reason to invent a price.
BetVictor was, however, displaying the following main US Open singles outright markets.
*Odds checked on 24 August 2026 and subject to change. These are singles outright markets, not prices for the mixed doubles tournament.
What time will Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz play in the UK?
Williams and Alcaraz will play on Tuesday 25 August, although their exact match time has not yet been confirmed. Play begins from 15:00 BST and will be shown on Sky Sports Tennis, Sky Sports+ and NOW. The semi-finals and final begin at 00:00 BST on Thursday 27 August.
US Open mixed doubles UK schedule
| Date | Round | UK time |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 24 August | Qualifying | 16:00 BST |
| Tuesday 25 August | First round and quarter-finals | From 15:00 BST |
| Wednesday 26 August | Semi-finals and final | From 00:00 BST, overnight into Thursday |
Serena Williams already knows how to win US Open mixed doubles
Williams already knows what it takes to win this event. She claimed the 1998 US Open mixed doubles title with Max Mirnyi and has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, including six in New York. In 2026, the focus is on her return at the age of 44 and Alcaraz’s comeback from a wrist injury.
How much prize money is available?
With a condensed format and several Grand Slam singles champions involved, the event has moved much closer to centre stage during US Open Fan Week.
