Serena Williams hints at 2026 US Open Mixed Doubles team-up with Carlos Alcaraz

Serena Williams dropped a cryptic comment under Carlos Alcaraz’s Instagram post on 12 July 2026 that has the tennis world buzzing about a potential mixed-doubles partnership at the 2026 US Open.

**She wrote:** *“They not ready.”*

The 44-year-old American legend returned to competitive tennis in June 2026, playing doubles at Queen’s Club and Berlin before a first-round singles exit at Wimbledon on 8 July. Alcaraz, meanwhile, is still rehabbing a wrist injury that forced him to skip the Canadian Open. His comeback hinges on a possible appearance in Cincinnati ahead of the US Open, where he’ll defend his title.

Williams’ one-line reply under Alcaraz’s training post came with zero context. But fans and pundits immediately read it as a tease.

José Morgado, the tennis journalist, posted on X: *“Serena Williams clearly teasing a US Open mixed doubles partnership with Carlos Alcaraz.”*

Another fan doubled down: *“Yeah I’m almost certain they’re playing mixed at US Open.”*

Williams is no stranger to mixed doubles. She won the US Open Mixed Doubles title in 2013 and 2016. Alcaraz, 23, made his debut in the event’s inaugural edition in 2025 alongside Emma Raducanu-they lost in the first round.

The logistics are brutal. Williams, 44, is still nursing a knee injury she aggravated at Wimbledon. Alcaraz, 23, is months away from full fitness after wrist surgery in May 2026.

Still, the draw is tempting. A Williams-Alcaraz team would headline the mixed doubles draw at Flushing Meadows. It would also mark Serena’s first Grand Slam appearance since Wimbledon 2022.

Venus Williams, Serena’s sister, has also been linked to a doubles pairing-rumored to team with Jannik Sinner in the same event. But all eyes are on the 23-time major singles champion and the Spaniard.

Williams is targeting the North American hardcourt swing, starting with Cincinnati if her knee allows. Alcaraz’s schedule remains unclear. He’s missing from the Canadian Open entry list but could return in Ohio.

One thing is certain: the tennis world is watching every cryptic post, every rehab clip, every hint. The clock is ticking toward the US Open-and the potential fireworks of a Serena-Alcaraz mixed doubles team.

For now, the only scoreboard that matters is the one in fans’ imaginations.