Fourteen of the 16 teams for the 2026 US Open mixed doubles have now been set, with Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams among the newest pairings confirmed.

After last year’s revamped format delivered strong interest, US Open organisers have kept the competition on the same schedule, placing it before the singles main draw. The winning team will again play for $1,000,000, and the draw has already attracted attention through several headline pairings.

Last year’s field included Iga Swiatek with Casper Ruud, Emma Raducanu with Carlos Alcaraz, Jessica Pegula with Jack Draper, and Elena Rybakina with Taylor Fritz. That approach created plenty of buzz during Fan Week, though the title ultimately went to the doubles specialists Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, who defended their crown.

For 2026, Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic are expected to be the top seeds based on combined singles rankings. Pegula and Fritz will team up after Draper’s injury rules him out, while Rybakina’s own fitness remains uncertain after she picked up an injury before the tournament.

Swiatek and Ruud are back after finishing runner-up in 2025, while Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien, have also formed new combinations. Diana Shnaider is listed as a confirmed entrant, although her partner has not yet been named.

Among the wildcard teams, Errani and Vavassori will try to win a third straight title in New York. Alex Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime also stand out, and Auger-Aliassime said: “It’s a great opportunity because obviously I didn’t play last year, but this time around to kind of feel what it’s like to have the Eala effect and fan base behind me,” and “It’s going to be it’s going to be funny because she’s younger than me, but she has a fan base, right? Like she’s carrying the crowd. So, it’s going to be interesting.”

Two more places will be decided through qualifying on 24 August, with the mixed doubles event scheduled for 25-26 August at Flushing Meadows.

The US Open has been left with notable absences on both sides of the draw, with seven ATP players and nine WTA players withdrawn from the 2026 field.

World No 1 Jannik Sinner, the 2024 US Open champion, confirmed on Friday that he will not take part in Flushing Meadows after sustaining a right knee injury following Wimbledon. His exit brings a change at the top of the men’s seeding, with world No 2 Alexander Zverev now set to lead the field in New York. Carlos Alcaraz will be seeded second, Felix Auger-Aliassime third and Novak Djokovic fifth.

Alcaraz, however, provides a lift to organisers. He has confirmed his return to defend the title and is due back after a three-month absence caused by a wrist injury.

Sinner is one of two seeded men to pull out from the entry list. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who was projected to be 26th, is also out because of a back injury. Holger Rune has joined the list of absentees as his comeback from an Achilles injury has been delayed once more.

Rune underwent surgery last October and had been seen practising with Alcaraz in Murcia this week, which raised hopes of an earlier return after 10 months away. Instead, he explained the decision on social media: “Really happy with my improvement and level. And we keep working.

“My team and I have decided not to have a Grand Slam as my first tournament coming back. @usopen see you next year.”

The women’s withdrawal list is headed by world No 17 Victoria Mboko, who remains sidelined with the knee injury she suffered after slipping at the Queen’s Club Championship in June. She is the only seeded player to withdraw so far.

There is also uncertainty around world No 2 Elena Rybakina after she aggravated an ankle injury at the Cincinnati Open. She retired after five games against Iga Swiatek in the quarter-final and said: “It’s painful to walk, and we will know more tomorrow when I do the MRI,” before adding: “It’s been bothering me for a long period of time. It was under control, but then after playing a lot of matches in Canada and coming here playing two matches in a row.”

Greg Rusedski believes Alex Eala is ready for her most significant Grand Slam result yet as she heads into her second US Open.

The 21-year-old enters the year’s final major at a career-best No. 18 in the WTA rankings, a reflection of a strong summer that has moved her rapidly up the ladder. Eala lifted titles at the Birmingham Open and the Washington Open, and also advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon.

Her progress has been steady since finishing last season at No. 50. She now sits 15th in the WTA Tour Race and is just under 1,300 points behind Iga Swiatek, who holds 10th place. That position puts Eala within reach of the top 10 for the first time if her current level continues.

At the US Open, she is set to be seeded at a Grand Slam for only the second time in her career. She first received that status at Wimbledon, and she is expected to be among the top 20 seeds at Flushing Meadows.

Eala has already done more than any other tennis player from the Philippines, but her season suggests there is still more to come. Some have questioned whether her serve will ultimately limit her major prospects, yet others think a few adjustments could change that outlook.

Rusedski is firmly in the second camp. On the latest episode of Off Court, he said, “S he’s going to be seeded as well. So she’s going to have an open section to get into the third round and then push it, hopefully past the fourth round.

“The best Filipino result ever at a major was at Wimbledon. I wouldn’t be surprised if she gets the quarters and onwards, depending on how the draw works out.”

Eala has also been winning plenty during the North American hard-court swing, though she remains aware that form alone does not guarantee success. After Cincinnati, she said, “Momentum is a thing, I guess, but it’s not concrete and it doesn’t give you any 100% answers. A lot of matches can help with your confidence, but it doesn’t guarantee anything.”

That blend of confidence and caution makes her a compelling presence in New York.