Serena Williams And Alcaraz Lead Star-Studded US Open Mixed Doubles Line-Up

Tennis legends Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz will begin their US Open mixed doubles campaign against Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool on Tuesday, in a high-profile opening-round clash that marks Williams’ return to the tournament for the first time since 2022.

Williams and Alcaraz were initially drawn against a team that would emerge from Monday’s qualifying competition. Routliffe and Glasspool secured the final spot after winning two matches, both of which went to match tiebreakers.

Routliffe brings significant credentials to the contest. She partnered Gabriela Dabrowski to win the US Open women’s doubles title last year, defeating Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend in the final. The pair had also captured the championship in 2023.

The mixed doubles draw also features top singles stars Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic, who are seeded No. 1 based on their combined singles rankings. They will face Siniakova and Henry Patten, the No. 1-ranked doubles players on their respective tours, in what could be another demanding first-round encounter.

Sabalenka and Djokovic had originally been scheduled to meet Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe, but Tiafoe withdrew from the mixed doubles event on Monday after losing to Arthur Fils in the Cincinnati Open final on Sunday. His withdrawal allowed a team that had lost in qualifying to enter the main draw.

The other qualifying survivors include Kristina Mladenovic and Marcelo Arevalo, who will face Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik.

The US Open has introduced an eight-team qualifying tournament this year to provide traditional doubles specialists with an opportunity to compete. The format was revamped last year, with a USD 1 million prize for the winners, and direct entry was largely determined by singles rankings to encourage participation from top singles players.

Williams is not scheduled to compete in singles in New York. Alcaraz, meanwhile, returns after being sidelined since April with a right-wrist injury and will defend his US Open singles title.

The mixed doubles first round and quarterfinals are scheduled for Tuesday, with the semifinals and final to be played on Wednesday.