Serena-Alcaraz get tough draw in US Open mixed doubles opener

New York, Aug 25 (IANS) Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz will begin their US Open mixed doubles campaign against Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool on Tuesday, with the blockbuster pairing facing a formidable opening test in Williams’ first appearance at Flushing Meadows since 2022.

The 16-team mixed doubles field has brought together some of the biggest names in singles and doubles, with Williams and Alcaraz drawn against a qualifying combination that boasts considerable experience at the top level of doubles.

Routliffe and Glasspool earned their place in the main draw after surviving two closely fought qualifying matches on Monday. They first defeated Luisa Stefani and Neal Skupski 4-1, 3-5, 10-7 before edging Kristina Mladenovic and Marcelo Arevalo 5-4 (4), 2-4, 11-9.

Routliffe adds another layer of intrigue to the matchup. The New Zealander is the reigning US Open women’s doubles champion, having won the title alongside Gabriela Dabrowski last year after also lifting the trophy in 2023. Glasspool, meanwhile, has previously occupied the world No. 1 position in doubles.

For Williams, the mixed doubles contest marks another chapter in her limited return to competitive tennis. The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has played only five tournaments since returning in June and has opted against competing in singles at this year’s US Open. She is instead scheduled to feature in women’s doubles with her sister, Venus Williams, as well as in mixed doubles.

Alcaraz enters the event under different circumstances. The Spaniard has been sidelined since April with a right wrist injury, making his mixed doubles appearance his first competitive outing since Barcelona. He is also set to defend his US Open singles crown.

This will be Alcaraz’s second Grand Slam mixed doubles appearance. He made his major debut in the discipline at the 2025 US Open, partnering with Emma Raducanu. The fan favorites lost to Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper in the first round.

The other side of the draw carries an equally imposing matchup, with top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic facing Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten. Siniakova and Patten are the No. 1-ranked doubles players on their respective tours and, like Routliffe and Glasspool, had to come through qualifying.

Sabalenka and Djokovic were originally scheduled to meet Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe, but Tiafoe withdrew from the mixed doubles competition after his run to the Cincinnati Open final, where he lost to Arthur Fils.

Two all-American combinations also feature prominently in the draw. Second seeds Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz will take on Diana Shnaider and Casper Ruud, while third seeds Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien will meet compatriots Tommy Paul and Emma Navarro.

The revamped mixed doubles format has also opened the door for specialist doubles players to compete at Flushing Meadows. An eight-team qualifying event was introduced this year after last year’s overhaul, which increased the winners’ prize money to $1 million and prioritised entries based on singles rankings.

With the first round and quarterfinals scheduled for Tuesday and the semifinals and final to follow on Wednesday, the new-look event promises a rapid-fire title race, beginning with the highly anticipated Williams-Alcaraz combination taking on a qualifying pair with proven doubles pedigree.

–IANS

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