Following their wildcard appearances at Wimbledon, both Serena and Venus Williams are expected to compete at the 2026 US Open at Flushing Meadows, according to Forbes. Serena, 44, is lined up for the mixed doubles event on 25-26 August - possibly alongside Carlos Alcaraz, if his wrist injury heals in time - and could also enter women's doubles and singles. Venus, 46, is similarly expected to play at least mixed doubles. Serena's coach Rennae Stubbs confirmed: "Her intention is to keep playing; the US Open as well. As long as physically she can go."
Two tennis icons sharing a draw sheet at Flushing Meadows is not a small thing. The Williams sisters built careers that sold rackets by the millions, and that pull does not switch off just because a few years have passed.
What this means for Wilson racket demand#
Both Serena and Venus have long associations with Wilson - Serena with the Wilson Blade and its predecessors across her 23-Grand-Slam career. When either of them appears on a major stage, searches for their associated frames pick up. It happened after Serena's Wimbledon wildcard was announced, and it tends to repeat at every subsequent event.
The practical upshot: Wilson Blade models from the past decade - the 104, the 98 in both 16x19 and 18x20 configurations - tend to surface a bit more on the pre-owned market around these windows as players trade up or down, and buyers who associate the racket with Serena get a nudge to finally pull the trigger. If you have been sitting on a Blade you barely use, listing it now rather than in September makes sense.
Venus has historically played with Wilson too, most recently with the Ultra series. That line is well-represented on the second-hand market and tends to be reasonably priced - worth watching if you want a solid, powerful frame at a fair price.
The Alcaraz factor - and why his wrist matters here#
The Forbes report notes that the Serena-Alcaraz mixed doubles pairing depends on whether Alcaraz's right wrist tendon sheath injury, which has kept him out since mid-April, clears up in time. Alcaraz is currently world No. 3 behind Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev.
For gear buyers, Alcaraz's return timeline matters separately from the Williams news. He plays the Babolat Pure Aero, and a high-profile US Open appearance - especially one paired with Serena - would be the kind of visibility that shifts pre-owned Pure Aero listings quickly. The 2023 and 2024 versions of that racket are already well-circulated on the second-hand market; expect prices to firm up if he confirms.
Who actually benefits on the pre-owned market#
| Frame | Association | Pre-owned angle |
|---|---|---|
| Wilson Blade 98 (16x19 or 18x20) | Serena Williams | Consistently in demand; surfaces around her appearances |
| Wilson Ultra 100 / Ultra Tour | Venus Williams | Well-priced on the used market; reliable power frame |
| Babolat Pure Aero (2023/2024) | Carlos Alcaraz | Prices firm when he competes at majors |
None of this is speculative - it is a pattern that repeats reliably across the pre-owned tennis market every time a high-profile name re-enters a draw.
If you want to browse what is currently listed, the tennis section on EpicRackets is the obvious place to start. And if you have a Blade or Ultra gathering dust, now is a reasonable moment to list it before the US Open build-up gets underway in earnest.
The US Open mixed doubles is scheduled for 25-26 August. That gives the market about six weeks to react - which, based on past form, it will.
