The US Open’s new push to bring more star power to mixed doubles has already made a big impact. The biggest highlight was Serena Williams’ return to Arthur Ashe Stadium. Teaming up with Carlos Alcaraz, the star duo quickly captured fans’ attention and created an electric atmosphere in New York.
Andy Roddick and Patrick Moutatoglou Believe Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams’ US Open Doubles Team-up Is a Massive Win for Tennis
The 23-time Grand Slam winner made her emotional return to Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time since 2022, teaming up with the defending men’s singles champion in mixed doubles. The star duo defeated Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool 5-3, 4-1 in the opening round, entertaining the packed crowd with their chemistry.
Their run ended in the quarterfinals, where Flavio Cobolli and Belinda Bencic beat them 5-4(4), 4-1. Cobolli and Bencic went on to reach the final but lost to champions Jakub Menšík and Karolina Muchova.
Although Williams and Alcaraz played only two matches, their star-powered partnership showed how doubles matches can be marketed.
Former US Open champion Roddick praised the impact of the mixed doubles event on his podcast, “Served.”
“Is our goal still getting eyeballs on the game of doubles? Is that the number one goal that I’ve heard for 30 years? Mission accomplished,” Roddick said. “You get to see Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz play two matches within a half hour of each other, and you’re going to tell me this isn’t a win? Unreal.”
Williams’ former coach, Mouratoglou, echoed Roddick’s observations, stressing that most Grand Slam attendees are not hardcore experts but fans eager to see the sport’s biggest names.
“They want to come back home and say, ‘Wow, I’ve seen Serena Williams, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, or Coco Gauff,'” Mouratoglou explained. He added that inserting top-tier singles stars into mixed doubles events multiplies overall fan interest by “100, maybe 1,000.”
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The crowd went wild when Williams and Alcaraz took the court, with around 15,000 fans filling the venue to watch them. Fan Week also attracted huge crowds, leading to overcrowding, as many events were free with a Fan Access Pass, including practice sessions and the US Open qualifiers, which featured 128 men and 128 women competing for the final 16 spots in the main draw and ran from August 24 to August 28.
Williams returned to competitive tennis this year after four years away, making her comeback during the grass-court season. She played singles at Wimbledon and three doubles matches, including teaming up with her sister, Venus Williams, in Cincinnati. The sisters will now reunite at the US Open after receiving a wildcard for the women’s doubles draw.
The main draw begins on August 30, with Alcaraz looking to defend his title after a four-month injury layoff that began with his withdrawal from the Barcelona Open in April.
