Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams win US Open mixed doubles opener after four-month injury layoff

Opening round victory at Arthur Ashe Stadium

Carlos Alcaraz returned to competitive tennis on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, partnering 44-year-old Serena Williams in the US Open mixed doubles tournament. The pair defeated New Zealand's Erin Routliffe and Great Britain's Lloyd Glasspool 5-3, 4-1 in 58 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium before a three-quarters full crowd. Alcaraz appeared on court with long hair secured by a headband, drawing attention from spectators in the stands. The Spanish-American duo fell behind 1-3 in the first set and faced two set points before winning four consecutive games to take the opening set. In the second set, Alcaraz and Williams established a 3-0 advantage, missed two match points, and secured victory with a love service game. The win advanced the pair to the quarter-finals, where they face Italy's Flavio Cobolli and Switzerland's Belinda Bencic.

On-court dynamics and physical condition

The match was Alcaraz's first official competition in 133 days (reported as 113 days in some reports) following a right wrist injury. The 23-year-old seven-time Grand Slam winner wore a compression sleeve and a wristband covering the joint and forearm of his hitting arm. After opening with two consecutive double faults, Alcaraz found his timing alongside Williams, who had not played a tournament match in New York since 2022. During a court-side interview between games, Alcaraz addressed his partnership with the 23-time Grand Slam champion.

I am playing with the one and only Serena Williams, so what else can you do.

When asked whether he was following tactical instructions on the court, Alcaraz stated that he was listening completely to his partner. Williams affirmed his compliance with a laugh during the exchange.

Injury timeline and tournament hiatus

Alcaraz sustained his wrist injury on 14 April 2026 during a 6-4, 6-2 victory against Finland's Otto Virtanen at the Banc Sabadell-Open Conde de Godó in Barcelona. The injury forced the Spaniard to withdraw from both Roland Garros and Wimbledon during a four-and-a-half-month recovery period. Alcaraz considered returning at the Cincinnati Masters in mid-August after reaching approximately 90% fitness, but chose to delay his comeback by two weeks to prepare for Flushing Meadows. During his absence, his ATP ranking dropped to world number three behind Germany's Alexander Zverev, while world number one Jannik Sinner was sidelined with a knee injury. Fellow Spaniard Rafa Jódar climbed 152 places to world number 13 during the same span.

Tournament landscape and top-seed exits

The mixed doubles event serves as competitive preparation before the US Open singles main draw begins on Sunday. Alcaraz entered New York with a 22-3 match record and two titles in 2026, having won the Australian Open in January to complete his career Grand Slam. The opening round of the mixed doubles draw also saw the elimination of the top-seeded pair. Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka, who hold a combined 28 Grand Slam singles titles, took the first set with a break in the fourth game against Great Britain's Henry Patten and the Czech Republic's Katerina Siniakova. Patten and Siniakova responded by winning the final three games of the second set and closed out a 1-4, 4-2, 10-2 win on an ace by Siniakova.