Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz are set to form a formidable mixed doubles team as Williams makes her return to the U.S. Open. The U.S. Tennis Association revealed that Williams and Alcaraz received a wild card entry into the tournament, with the mixed doubles competition kicking off on Tuesday and offering a prize of $1 million US to the victors.

This will mark Williams’ first appearance at the U.S. Open since 2022, following her comeback to tennis earlier this summer. Alcaraz expressed his excitement by posting “Let’s gooooo!” on social media with a fire emoji and tagging Williams.

While Williams is not competing in singles at the event, American Sofia Kenin secured the women’s wild card spot. Williams had previously played singles at Wimbledon before sustaining a knee injury. At the Cincinnati Open, she partnered with her sister Venus in doubles, leaving the option open for them to team up at the U.S. Open.

Alcaraz, the two-time U.S. Open men’s champion and ranked No. 2, announced his return to defend his singles title after being sidelined with a right wrist injury since April. Notably, Williams had clinched a mixed doubles title at the U.S. Open in 1998 before winning any of her six singles titles there, highlighting her versatility across different events.

The USTA made significant changes to the mixed doubles tournament last year to attract top singles players, transforming it into a two-day, 16-team event. Among the notable pairings in the current field are Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz, Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul, and Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik, who secured wild card entries into the main draw.

Furthermore, the USTA announced updates to the field due to player withdrawals, including the pairing of Americans Pegula and Fritz after their initial partners withdrew due to injuries. The field also features an array of top players such as Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Belinda Bencic, and more, setting the stage for an exciting mixed doubles competition at the U.S. Open.