Williams, aged 44, is a legendary figure with 23 Grand Slam singles titles and six US Open singles victories to her name. This year, however, she will not be participating in the singles tournament.
Wildcard Entry for Serena and Alcaraz
Williams and Alcaraz received one of the last three wildcard entries into the main draw for mixed doubles.
Other wildcard teams include Czech duo Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensík, as well as American players Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul.
Williams has experienced success in US Open mixed doubles before, having won the 1998 title with Max Mirnyi.
Her return to this tournament follows her recent participation with her sister, Venus Williams, in women’s doubles at Cincinnati, although they were ousted in the first round.
Venus Williams Also Joins US Open
The USTA has also granted a wildcard to Venus Williams, giving both sisters a spot at the US Open.
However, Serena’s participation will be confined to mixed doubles, so fans won’t witness her competing in the women’s singles draw this time.
Mixed Doubles Competition Starts Tuesday
The mixed doubles event kicks off on Tuesday and will wrap up by Wednesday at New York’s USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
The main draw for the US Open is set to commence on August 30.
There have been some changes in the mixed doubles lineup, as Jack Draper and Elena Rybakina have withdrawn. Their former partners, Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz from the US, have teamed up again and gained direct entry into the main draw.
Russian player Diana Shnaider, whose original partner Daniil Medvedev also withdrew, will have a chance to find a new partner before final draw decisions are made.
Serena’s pairing with Alcaraz is anticipated to be a major highlight of the tournament, combining one of the greatest women’s tennis legends with one of the prominent stars in the men’s game.
