NEW YORK (AP) — An additional 13 teams, one featuring Venus Williams and some comprised of married couples, have entered the U.S. Open mixed doubles championship.
The new duos announced Monday by the U.S. Tennis Association raised the total to 29 teams for the 16 spots in the main draw, which will be held on Aug. 25 and Aug. 26.
Williams is partnering with Alexander Bublik for the tournament that was overhauled last year, with a $1 million prize to the winning team, in an effort to get top singles players to compete. Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and 24-time Grand Slam singles champion Novak Djokovic headlined the initial list of 16 teams who entered.
Elina Svitolina and her husband Gael Monfils, who is expected to play his final Grand Slam event at the U.S. Open, and newlyweds Katie Boulter and Alex De Minaur also were among the new entries.
The other new teams: Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik, Anna Kalinskaya and Lorenzo Musetti, Emma Navarro and Tommy Paul, Maria Sakkari and Karen Khachanov, Tatjana Maria and Valentin Vacherot, Reese Brantmeier and Michael Zheng, Jelena Ostapenko and Marcelo Arevalo, Gabriela Dabrowski and Harri Heliovaara, Demi Schuurs and Julian Cash, and Caty McNally and Robert Cash.
Teams can enter until Aug. 17, when the six duos with the best combined singles rankings at the time will be automatically entered into the main draw. That means Sabalenka, the two-time defending U.S. Open women’s champion, and Djokovic, still ranked No. 5 on the men’s tour at age 39, will be safely into the field.
Eight teams will be given wild cards by the USTA, and two other teams will play their way into the field through a new qualifying tournament to be held Aug. 24.
Besides Sabalenka and Djokovic, teams previously announced were: Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, the runners-up in 2025; Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz, the Japanese duo of Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori, Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper, Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, Diana Shnaider and Daniil Medvedev, Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien, Alex Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime, Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev, Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Nuno Borges, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten, and siblings Peyton Stearns and Preston Stearns.
Errani and Vavassori are the two-time defending U.S. Open champions. The Italians needed a wild card to get into last year’s event because their singles ranking was too low, and that will be the case again this year.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Gael Monfils of France speaks to media ahead of the National Bank Open tennis tournament, in Montreal on Friday, July 31, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov /The Canadian Press via AP)
Venus Williams reacts during her match against Kamilla Rakhimova during the National Bank Open tennis tournament in Toronto, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — When the Raiders were looking to improve their roster in the offseason, two of their moves were to bring in a pair of former Georgia teammates accustomed to playing at a high level.
Linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker played on the Bulldogs' 2021 national championship team before going on to the NFL. Dean played for Philadelphia, winning the Super Bowl two seasons ago, and Walker was at regular playoff participant Green Bay.
They joined former Georgia teammate Eric Stokes, who enters his second season as a Las Vegas starting cornerback after signing a contract extension.
“It helps a lot to where like we got our own little things that we used to say throughout UGA,” Stokes said. "Even in the meeting room, we’ll make little jokes or whatever, like we used to do back in college. But it’s just another building block to it and we all are just happy to be here.”
Raiders first-year coach Klint Kubiak said bringing all three players together created instant chemistry.
“It’s a phenomenal program there (at Georgia),” Kubiak said. "Happy to have those guys and hope that their toughness rubs off on the rest of them.”
The Raiders could use the help.
They were 25th last season in allowing 25.4 points per game, though more middle of the pack in yards given up (317.8) because the Raiders' offense struggled to move the ball. That, in turn, kept the defense on the field, creating opportunities for opposing offenses to take advantage of a tiring set of defenders.
Las Vegas was last in the NFL with just 14.2 points per game and with 28:02 average time of possession.
So changes were made on both sides of the ball, the offense most notably upgrading its quarterback position by signing veteran Kirk Cousins and drafting Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza first overall. The Raiders also bring back Brock Bowers, another Georgia product, who has become one of the league's top tight ends and is having a strong training camp.
Then on defense, they brought in Dean and Walker.
Injuries have sidetracked Dean two of the past three seasons, but in 2024, he started 15 games for the Eagles' Super Bowl team and made 128 tackles, including nine for loss.
He missed Raiders organized team activities and minicamp this year because of an undisclosed injury, but has been a full participant in training camp.
Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard said Dean has brought a sense of “command, confidence,‘Robbie, get out of my huddle.'’'
"It feels good to have that at the (middle) linebacker,” Leonard said.
He was just as glowing in speaking of Walker's approach, saying “he loves to be coached hard.”
Like with Dean, Walker is searching for a new beginning in Las Vegas, but hasn't been dogged by injuries like his former and current teammate.
Walker started 57 games over four years with the Packers, including 14 last season. He reached triple digits in tackles each season and totaled 29 for loss for his entire tenure in Green Bay.
“I’m just trying to bring a certain intensity here, certain type of culture, a way guys should really play, which is the ‘Raider Way’, fast, physical, just with a certain type of attitude," Walker said. "But I’m not trying to come here and beat everybody else. I think everybody can say the right things, but it’s another thing to go out there and actually do it.
"So I’m just focusing on proving my point and proving myself right, proving the organization and my teammates right, and just going out there and playing the right way, and just let my play speak for itself.”
Dean and Walker are back with Stokes, who played for Georgia from 2018-20. Stokes produced a comeback season of sorts with the Raiders last season, starting a career-high 16 games and playing his first four seasons with the Packers. Pro Football Focus rated him the 14th-best cornerback last season out of 114.
The Raiders awarded him with a three-year, $30 million contract, with $20 million of it guaranteed.
“It’s a big family here to where it’s hard to leave here,” Stokes said. "You feel loved, you feel welcomed, you feel the energy from everybody in the building and it’s just pretty much contagious to where you want to build with, you want to grow with. You see the direction everybody going with, and you love it.”
Tight end Michael Mayer “busted his nose open” in practice Monday, Kubiak said, but noted the player will be fine. Wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. was back at practice after being helped off the field Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
FILE - Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) tries to tackle Kentucky running back Asim Rose Jr. (10) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Oct. 31, 2020, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston, File)
FILE - Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes (22) covers New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) during the second half of an NFL football game Sept. 7, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper, File)
FILE - Georgia defensive back Eric Stokes runs with the ball after intercepting a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Missouri, Dec. 12, 2020, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson, File)
FILE - Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, top front, runs over Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker, bottom, during the first half of an NFL football game Sept. 17, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
Las Vegas Raiders safety Eric Stokes (5) speaks during a news conference at the team's NFL football training camp, Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Quay Walker (7) speaks during a news conference at the team's NFL football training camp, Thursday, July 30, 2026, in Henderson, Nev. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)
