Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz to pair in US Open 2026 Mixed Doubles
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Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz US Open Mixed Doubles Pairing Sparks Strong Fan Backlash

Kapil Manghnani

The tennis world is talking about US Open Tennis 2026 after its social media account posted a picture of Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz together. The caption said, “Two Champions. One Team.” But many fans did not like the idea. Some fans asked if this partnership really makes sense in tennis.

The pair is one of the biggest surprises at the US Open 2026. Serena Williams has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles. She is returning to Flushing Meadows after last playing there in 2022. She has also won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Venus. In 1998, she won mixed doubles titles at the US Open and Wimbledon with Max Mirnyi.

At the same time, Carlos Alcaraz is getting ready to return to competitive tennis after a four-month break. He missed time because of a right-wrist injury. The seven-time Grand Slam champion will also try to defend his US Open singles title. Because of this, his choice to play mixed doubles has caught a lot of attention.

A report from The Sun’s Dane Massey says that the pair received a wildcard for the mixed doubles draw. The event has changed to give more focus to famous singles players. However, doubles players have criticized some of these changes before.

This helps explain why fans have had mixed reactions to Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz. Many fans are not only excited about the star power. They are also asking about Alcaraz’s injury, the competitive side of the event and whether the partnership is more about entertainment than real sporting competition.

Fans Question Whether the Partnership Makes Sense 

One fan questioned the whole idea and said the star power was not needed for the mixed doubles event. 

“Not sure the world’s number one needs to partner a retired player just to make mixed doubles look interesting. I’d rather watch a frame of snooker”, a fan wrote. 

The fan said that Carlos Alcaraz does not need Serena Williams as a partner to attract attention. The fan also suggested that the hype around the pair may be too much.

Another fan focused on Serena’s wish to win another title. The fan also said that the partnership could put extra pressure on Alcaraz.

“This goes to show you just how desperate Serena Williams is to try and win another championship! Her own sister Venus knows it’s over but can’t convince her of it!”

The same fan then questioned Alcaraz’s decision to play mixed doubles so soon after his injury.

“One things for sure Carlos isn’t going to risk a career ending injury in mixed doubles just to satisfy Serena Williams despite attempt to win a championship he knows they can’t win”, the same fan added. 

The fan also said that Alcaraz should focus more on his singles return instead of playing too much tennis.

“He’s not ready to play both mixed doubles and singles risking another wrist injury when he’d rather be focusing more on winning the US OPEN!”

These comments show that not everyone sees Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz as an exciting team. Some fans have more concerns than excitement, especially because Alcaraz recently returned from an injury.

A Fan Claims About Doping and Medication Involving Serena

One of the strongest comments also made claims about doping and medication involving Serena. These are only the fan’s claims and are not established facts in the reports provided.

“Only one champion…Charly! The other one, a drug addict (illegal TUE’s) who should have been banned years ago!”

The same fan made more claims about performance-enhancing drugs and medication. Again, these comments are the fan’s opinions and have not been presented as verified facts.

“Anabolic steriods and now fat jabs for her own commercial interests, which is illegal, disgusting just as that thing is! Hope cheating catches up with her!”, another fan wrote. 

Another fan completely rejected the partnership and said the hype around it showed that the event was trying too hard to attract attention.

“this pairing is forced and dumb everyone hyping it looks desperate af”

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Another supporter criticized the idea in a different way. The fan felt that putting two big stars from different competitive backgrounds could hurt the traditional image of tennis.

“mixing two totally different sports to dirty the image of tennis, good job.”

For many fans, however, Alcaraz’s health was the main concern. One supporter gave a very simple reaction and focused on his recent injury.

“This is a bad idea. He’s just coming back from a serious injury.”

Another fan spoke directly to Alcaraz and asked if playing the event was worth the risk.

“Carlos, I have to ask: is it really worth playing these ridiculous games?”

Overall, the reactions show that the decision to pair Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz has not received only positive support. Fans have questioned Serena’s comeback goals, Alcaraz’s fitness, and the future direction of mixed doubles at the US Open 2026.

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Why Are Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz Teaming Up?

There is a clear reason behind the much-talked-about partnership. For Serena Williams, mixed doubles gives her another chance to compete after spending time away from tennis. She has also said that she wants to enjoy the experience and play in front of her daughters, rather than only focus on winning, as per the report by the BBC. 

For Carlos Alcaraz, the situation is different. He has missed about four months because of a wrist injury. Playing mixed doubles could help him get match practice before his singles campaign. The shorter format may help him bring back his timing, movement and confidence before playing a full singles match.

There is also a big entertainment factor. Serena Williams has shown before that she can enjoy doubles tennis. Her mixed doubles partnership with Andy Murray at Wimbledon in 2019 attracted huge attention. Her team-up with Alcaraz is likely to create similar interest.

The partnership also matches the new style of the US Open Tennis 2026 mixed doubles event. The tournament is giving more chances to famous singles players. Other star pairs include Aryna Sabalenka with Novak Djokovic, Jessica Pegula with Taylor Fritz and Iga Swiatek with Casper Ruud.

Still, some doubles players have criticised these changes. They believe regular doubles players should get more chances because they play the format all season.

Serena also has a special connection to mixed doubles. She won the US Open mixed doubles title with Max Mirnyi in 1998 at just 16 years old, five years before Carlos Alcaraz was born.

So, is this partnership only about publicity? Not really. Serena gets another chance to compete, while Alcaraz gets useful match practice.

What do you think? Will Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz prove their critics wrong with a strong run at the US Open 2026? Let us know your thoughts on this one in the comment section. 

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Kapil Manghnani

Kapil Manghnani – Writer | Editor | Journalist | Storyteller |

I am a seasoned writer with four years of experience crafting high-quality, SEO-friendly, plagiarism-free, and well-researched articles for various websites. My expertise spans multiple domains, ensuring engaging and error-free content tailored to diverse audiences.

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