US Open leaves Stan Wawrinka out in the cold, denying former champion a wild card for his final Grand Slam

Stan Wawrinka Misses US Open Wildcard for Final Grand Slam

Stan Wawrinka, the 2016 US Open champion and three-time major winner, will not play at the 2026 US Open after the USTA declined to award him a main-draw wildcard. The decision means the 41-year-old Swiss, who is retiring at the end of the season, will not get a farewell appearance at the Grand Slam where he enjoyed his greatest success.

Wawrinka, who won the US Open in 2016 and reached the semi-finals in 2013 and 2015, had hoped to play one last time at Flushing Meadows. He had received wildcards at the other three Grand Slams this year — the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon — but the USTA chose not to extend the same invitation for the final major of the season.

Final Wildcard Goes to Patrick Kypson

The USTA announced all 16 main-draw wildcards for the 2026 US Open, with the last men's spot going to American Patrick Kypson, ranked 115th in the ATP rankings. Kypson, who is 23 years old, joins fellow Americans Michael Zheng, Martin Damm, J.J. Wolf, Sebastian Gorzny, and Jack Kennedy among the wildcard recipients.

The USTA's reciprocal agreements with the French and Australian federations require one wildcard each for a French and an Australian player. These went to Gaël Monfils and Dane Sweeny, respectively. Monfils, also in the final year of his career, was awarded a wildcard despite having only reached the US Open semi-finals once.

Alexei Popyrin was initially awarded a wildcard through the reciprocal arrangement but entered the main draw directly, so his wildcard was passed to fellow Australian Dane Sweeny.

Wawrinka's Record and 2026 Season

Wawrinka's exclusion is particularly notable given his record at the US Open. He has won 74% of his matches at the tournament, his best win percentage at any Grand Slam, and has reached the quarter-finals five times (2010, 2014, 2019) in addition to his two semi-final appearances and the 2016 title.

In 2026, Wawrinka played all five of his Grand Slam matches in front of packed crowds. He lost in the opening round at Roland Garros and Wimbledon but reached the third round at the Australian Open, where he lost to Taylor Fritz in four sets. He also beat Arthur Gea in a four-hour contest during the season, showing he remains competitive.

Wawrinka is currently ranked outside the top 120, which meant he would have needed a wildcard to avoid qualifying. According to tennis insider John Wertheim, Wawrinka was ranked 118th on July 20, the cutoff for the US Open entry list, and would have gained direct entry had his ranking been between 107 and 109, given injury withdrawals.

Criticism from Fans and Insider

The decision has drawn criticism from fans and the tennis community. Tennis insider John Wertheim posted on X that Wawrinka is "totally fit" and only nine spots out of the main draw, but that his chances of entering were slim. Wertheim also noted that Wawrinka's only way to enter the tournament would have been through qualifying, but the Swiss did not enter the qualifying event.

Fans on social media expressed disappointment and anger. One fan called the decision "a shame," while another said "corruption in tennis continues." Others wrote "disgusting" and "lamentable," with one fan suggesting the US Open "shot themselves in the foot." A fan also noted that Wawrinka could draw big crowds, as seen at the Australian and French Opens.

Other Notable Omissions and Wildcards

Grigor Dimitrov, who has dropped to 138th in the ATP rankings, was also left out of the main-draw wildcards. Both Wawrinka and Dimitrov had been given wildcards for Wimbledon earlier this summer. Kei Nishikori, the 2014 US Open finalist, also missed out on a main-draw wildcard but received a wildcard for the qualifying event.

In the women's draw, Serena Williams, who returned to tennis in June after four years away, did not take a singles wildcard but will team up with Carlos Alcaraz in the mixed doubles. The pair are one of eight teams handed wildcards, with $1 million on the line for the winning team. Other mixed doubles pairings include Gaël Monfils with his wife Elina Svitolina, and Novak Djokovic with Aryna Sabalenka.

The US Open also announced a 20% increase in prize money, with a total pot of $108 million and $5.5 million for each singles winner.

Perspectives

• USTA/Organizers: The USTA has not publicly commented on individual wildcard decisions. The wildcards were allocated according to reciprocal agreements and American player development priorities.
• Fans and Critics: Many fans and observers argue that a former champion and three-time major winner like Wawrinka deserved a wildcard for his final season, especially given his strong record at the event and his ability to draw crowds.
• Tennis Insider John Wertheim: Wertheim called the decision controversial, noting Wawrinka's fitness and proximity to the main draw, and suggested the US Open missed an opportunity to honor a great of the game.