Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz will launch their US Open mixed doubles campaign on Tuesday against Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool — a qualifying pair carrying formidable doubles credentials — in what marks Williams' first appearance at Flushing Meadows since 2022. The first-round clash is among the most anticipated matches of the revamped mixed doubles event.

The Opponents: Not Your Average Qualifiers

Routliffe and Glasspool earned their main-draw berth the hard way, surviving two tightly contested qualifying matches on Monday. They first dispatched Luisa Stefani and Neal Skupski 4-1, 3-5, 10-7, then edged past Kristina Mladenovic and Marcelo Arevalo 5-4 (4), 2-4, 11-9.

Routliffe brings particular pedigree to the contest. The New Zealander is the reigning US Open women's doubles champion, having claimed the title alongside Gabriela Dabrowski last year — a defence of the crown she also won in 2023. Glasspool, for his part, has previously held the world No. 1 ranking in doubles.

Williams' Limited but Significant Return

For Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, Tuesday's match represents another step in a carefully managed return to competitive tennis. She has played only five tournaments since resuming in June and has opted against entering the singles draw at this year's US Open. Alongside the mixed doubles partnership with Alcaraz, she is also scheduled to compete in women's doubles alongside her sister, Venus Williams.

Alcaraz: First Match Back After Wrist Injury

Alcaraz arrives at the event under markedly different circumstances. The Spanish world No. 1 has been sidelined since April with a right wrist injury, making this mixed doubles opener his first competitive outing since Barcelona. He is also the defending US Open singles champion and will bid to retain that title in the singles draw.

This is Alcaraz's second Grand Slam appearance in mixed doubles. At the 2025 US Open, he partnered Emma Raducanu, but the pair fell in the first round to Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper.

The Wider Draw: Star Power Throughout

The opposite half of the draw features an equally headline-grabbing contest, with top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic taking on Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten — the No. 1-ranked doubles players on their respective tours, who also came through qualifying. Sabalenka and Djokovic were originally drawn against Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe, but Tiafoe withdrew after reaching the Cincinnati Open final, where he lost to Arthur Fils.

Second seeds Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz face Diana Shnaider and Casper Ruud, while third seeds Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien meet compatriots Tommy Paul and Emma Navarro.

The New Format and What It Means

The revamped mixed doubles structure — introduced last year with a $1 million winners' prize and entries prioritised by singles rankings — now includes an eight-team qualifying draw, giving specialist doubles players a route into Flushing Meadows. With the first round and quarterfinals set for Tuesday and the semifinals and final to follow on Wednesday, the compressed schedule guarantees rapid drama. The Williams-Alcaraz pairing, facing a battle-tested qualifying duo, ensures the event opens with high stakes from the very first ball.