The US Open revamped its mixed doubles event in 2025, attracting singles stars Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, and Naomi Osaka to play.
Alcaraz/Emma Raducanu, Swiatek/Casper Ruud, Osaka/Gael Monfils, and Jessica Pegula/Jack Draper were among the all-star doubles teams that lit up Louis Armstrong Stadium and Arthur Ashe Stadium 12 months ago.
But the question is, who will take part in this year’s event?
Who is the best hard-court player in tennis today?
The US Open is right around the corner…
Here are three teams that would be perfect for the 2026 US Open mixed doubles tournament.
Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams should headline US Open mixed doubles this year
There would be no pairing more popular than Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams.
Alcaraz is a star in his own right, and with seven Grand Slams at 23, is well on his way to tennis immortality.
And Williams really needs no introduction.
The 44-year-old recently returned to tennis during the grass-court season and will sell out crowds in an instant if and when her mixed doubles appearance is confirmed.
Although there has been no confirmation that they will play mixed doubles together, Williams didn’t do much to dispel the rumours when she posted the following comment under Alcaraz’s recent Instagram post.
“They not ready,” she said.
Williams and Alcaraz would be a big draw for the event, but they aren’t the only team that could entertain fans at Flushing Meadows.
Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic would be a dream mixed doubles team for many.
The pair are very friendly on tour, and even engaged in a dance battle at the French Open recently.
Djokovic played with his countrywoman, Olga Danilovic, at the event last year, losing in the first round to Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev, and Sabalenka couldn’t find a replacement for her partner, Grigor Dimitrov, who withdrew due to injury.
So, what would be better than the two of them teaming up this year?
Tennis-wise, they would be competitive, and they’d bring the entertainment, too.
It would also give Djokovic a chance to win a Grand Slam in another discipline for the first time in his career.
And Sabalenka could join the exclusive club of players who have won major titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.
The third mixed doubles team, which would make perfect sense, is Alex Eala and Joao Fonseca.
Eala is one of the fastest rising stars in the entire sport, and attracts huge crowds wherever she goes.
And the same can be said about Brazilian teenager Fonseca.
Both players are vastly popular and aren’t bad at tennis either!
If they are interested in teaming up, the US Open should do whatever they can to secure their place in the draw as soon as possible.
US Open plan change to the mixed doubles event for 2026
It should be noted that there will be one key change to this year’s US Open mixed doubles tournament.
The US Open has added a qualifying round to the event, where eight teams will compete for the final two spots in the 16-team draw.
Many believe this has been done to settle tensions with traditional mixed doubles pairs, who were, for the most part, excluded from the 2025 tournament.
Interestingly enough, the one traditional mixed doubles team that did compete last year, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, defended their US Open crown.
Many mixed doubles teams congratulated Errani and Vavassori, celebrating their win as a win for the discipline.
With more traditional pairs potentially in the mix this time around, who knows if the singles ‘all-stars’ will fall short again.
The 2026 US Open mixed doubles event starts on August 25, with the semi-finals and final to be played on August 26.
