Stan Wawrinka is bidding farewell to tennis one tournament at a time, and he wants Flushing Meadows to be part of that journey. Speaking at the Estoril Open after bowing out of what he confirmed was his final ever clay court event, the three-time Grand Slam champion revealed he has formally requested a wildcard for the US Open, calling it his last opportunity to compete at the New York major.
"I have requested a wildcard for the US Open. I hope to play there for the last time," Wawrinka said, adding that he is also eyeing a Challenger event in Cancun as preparation should the wildcard come through. The Swiss veteran noted that Lyon and Basel are the only tournaments currently locked into his schedule, leaving the rest of his 2026 calendar flexible.
His chances of receiving the invitation look strong. The Australian Open, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon all granted Wawrinka wildcards this season in recognition of his impending retirement, creating considerable pressure on the US Open to follow suit.
The complication, however, is what that means for others on the outside looking in. The US Open has historically reserved wildcards for American players, with last year's men's draw spots going entirely to domestic talent including Brandon Holt, Darwin Blanch, and Emilio Nava among others. The tournament holds agreements with Roland Garros and the Australian Open to accommodate one Australian and one French player, but no such arrangement exists for British or other international players.
That puts Jack Draper, Grigor Dimitrov, and Nick Kyrgios in a difficult position. Draper appears to be preparing for the worst, reportedly scheduling a Challenger event in Brownsburg during the same week as the Canadian Open to sharpen his game ahead of potential US Open qualifying.
TennisDraw users currently have Wawrinka flagged as a sentimental wildcard pick for the New York draw, with his farewell tour generating plenty of bracket buzz.
