Tennis legend Serena Williams will pair up with Spain's Carlos Alcaraz for the mixed doubles event at the US Open. Tournament organisers have granted the duo a wild card into the main draw.
A Czech pairing has also received a wild card: Jakub Menšík and Karolína Muchová. Meanwhile, the world's top-ranked women's doubles player, Czech star Kateřina Siniaková, who is teaming up with men's doubles world No. 1 Henry Patten for the mixed event, missed out on a direct spot in the main draw and will have to fight her way through qualifying.
Williams last played an official match at Flushing Meadows back in 2022. Over her career, she has won the US Open singles title six times, and claimed the mixed doubles crown there in 1998 alongside Belarusian Max Mirnyi.
Williams returned to the court this June after a four-year hiatus, but was knocked out in the first round at Wimbledon. Her most recent WTA appearance came this week in Cincinnati, where she and her older sister Venus lost in the opening round of the doubles draw.
There's also a chance Williams could take part in the US Open singles competition — no final decision has been made yet. According to the Associated Press, tournament organisers are holding another wild card in reserve for the former world No. 1.
23-year-old Carlos Alcaraz hasn't played since mid-April due to a wrist injury, but he has recently confirmed his participation in the US Open. The former world No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam champion won his second title in New York last year.
Source: sport.cz