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Serena Williams is set to join forces with Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open mixed doubles tournament this week, bringing together two of tennis' biggest stars.
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, returned to competitive tennis in June after stepping away from the sport four years ago. Since her comeback, the American has played three doubles matches and returned to singles competition at Wimbledon, where she lost a three-set match to Maya Joint.
Williams most recently partnered with her older sister Venus at the Cincinnati Open on Monday, but the pair were defeated in the opening round. It was Serena's first match since suffering a knee injury at Wimbledon.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, is preparing to return to competition after spending more than four months sidelined with a wrist injury. The seven-time major champion will make his comeback alongside Williams as the pair enter the US Open mixed doubles main draw with a wildcard.
Together, Williams and Alcaraz have won 44 Grand Slam titles across singles and doubles.
The mixed doubles event was significantly revamped last year, with organizers bringing more singles stars into the competition in an effort to increase its profile. The format has attracted several high-profile combinations this year, including world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, Americans Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz, and Iga Swiatek alongside Casper Ruud.
Elina Svitolina will also compete alongside her husband, Gael Monfils, in what will be the Frenchman's final Grand Slam appearance before retirement.
The tournament runs from Aug. 24 to 26, finishing four days before the US Open singles draw begins.
The revamped competition has faced criticism from several doubles specialists, who objected to the increased focus on singles players. Last year, defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori were the only specialist doubles team invited directly into the main draw. Despite initially criticizing the changes, the Italian pair went on to win the title and collected $1 million in prize money.
The tournament also features a faster scoring format. Matches before the final require four games to win a set, with no advantage scoring and a 10-point match tiebreak replacing a deciding third set.
For Williams and Alcaraz, the event could provide more than entertainment. Both players are returning from injuries, making the tournament an opportunity to regain match fitness, improve movement and find rhythm on court.
Williams has previously shown how much attention mixed doubles can generate. Her 2019 Wimbledon partnership with Andy Murray became one of the tournament's most talked-about attractions.
