Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams Set for US Open Mixed Doubles Debut

NEW YORK: Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams are set to take centre stage at the US Open as the star pairing begins its mixed doubles campaign against Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool.

Match: Carlos Alcaraz & Serena Williams vs Lloyd Glasspool & Erin Routliffe
Time: 11:00 PM PKT
Venue: Arthur Ashe Stadium
Round: Mixed Doubles, Round of 16

The spotlight will be firmly on Alcaraz and Williams, but Glasspool and Routliffe have the doubles pedigree to make this a competitive battle.

For Williams, the occasion carries extra weight. She is returning to the US Open for the first time since 2022, although she is not entering the singles draw. Her appearance alongside Alcaraz has instead created one of the most closely watched storylines of the tournament.

Alcaraz also arrives in New York with plenty at stake. The Spaniard has been sidelined since April with a right wrist injury and is preparing to defend his US Open singles title. The mixed doubles match offers him a competitive return before the pressure of the singles tournament takes over.

Their opponents are no ordinary qualifiers.

Routliffe and Glasspool fought through two matches to earn their place in the main draw, with both victories going to match tiebreakers. Routliffe brings serious doubles pedigree to the contest, having won the US Open women's doubles title with Gabriela Dabrowski in both 2023 and 2024.

That experience could make this a much more complicated opening assignment for Williams and Alcaraz than the star power on the other side of the net might suggest.

The mixed doubles format has also undergone significant changes. An eight-team qualifying tournament was introduced this year to give specialist doubles players a route into the competition after direct entry began favouring teams built around high-ranked singles players.

The revamped event also carries a $1 million prize for the winners, adding another layer of incentive to a tournament designed to attract elite singles stars.

Elsewhere in the draw, top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic face Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten. Siniakova and Patten also came through qualifying, while their original opponents changed after Frances Tiafoe withdrew following his Cincinnati Open final defeat to Arthur Fils.

For now, the spotlight belongs to Williams and Alcaraz. One is making a long-awaited return to the US Open stage, while the other is building towards the defence of his singles crown.

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