Nevertheless, their first-round match against a qualifier might prove to be a tough task, since the qualifying tournament is expected to include doubles specialists. Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams will begin their much-anticipated US Open 2026 mixed doubles campaign against a qualifier after the wildcard pair was handed their first-round opponent in the 16-team event on Sunday. Alcaraz and Williams, who are making their first return to the US Open since 2022, have been given a wildcard place in the newly arranged mixed doubles tournament.
Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka will start off their campaigns by playing against Francis Tiafoe from the United States and Leylah Fernandez from Canada. In other matches, Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina, who are also a wildcard pair, will play against Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alexandra Eala, while the fourth-seeded players Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli will face the wildcard team of Alexander Zverev and Taylor Townsend. Because of complaints that doubles specialists were being left out as the United States Tennis Association made an effort to increase the number of top players in the event, this year the qualifying tournament was introduced. Together, Djokovic and Sabalenka are on the opposite side of the draw from Alcaraz and Williams and will therefore be among the top contenders for the title.
