Overview
- Tournament organizers confirmed the Alcaraz–Williams wildcard on Saturday, Aug. 22, and the reworked mixed event will be played on Aug. 25–26 ahead of the singles draw.
- Alcaraz is using the match as a competitive step after a multi-month layoff caused by wrist tenosynovitis, with his team saying the injury forced him to skip earlier events.
- Serena Williams accepted the wildcard while continuing her 2026 comeback, having rejoined the anti-doping pool and recently played doubles as match preparation.
- The event uses the shortened Fast‑Fours format with sets to four games, a tiebreak at 3–3, and a match tiebreak instead of a third set through the semifinals.
- Organizers filled the compact, headline-driven draw with wildcards — including Novak Djokovic/Aryna Sabalenka and other star teams — a move that draws big crowds but has left some doubles specialists without places.