US Open Snubs Stan Wawrinka Despite 2016 Triumph And Plea For One Last Appearance
- Written by: Faham Uddin
- Updated Aug 23, 2026, 08:40 IST
Stan Wawrinka missed out on a US Open 2026 wild card despite requesting one for his farewell appearance.
Stan Wawrinka’s US Open Farewell Hopes Fade After ‘Shameful’ Wildcard Snub
Stan Wawrinka’s legendary career is in its final legs, and his fans desperately wanted him to play the US Open one last time. But in a surprising move, the US Open didn’t award a wild card to the veteran. The decision raises eyebrows given that Wawrinka is a former US Open champion, having won the tournament in 2016 after beating Novak Djokovic in the final.
The US Open gave wild cards to Martin Damm, Michael Zheng, J.J. Wolf, Sebastian Gorzny, Jack Kennedy, Gael Monfils and Alexei Popyrin, with one spot still unconfirmed. But Damm was promoted to the main draw following a withdrawal. This raised hopes that the two wild cards would go to Wawrinka and Grigor Dimitrov; however, that was not the case.
The US Open instead handed over the wild card to 18-year-old American Darwin Blanch, and the final spot went to 115th-ranked Patrick Kypson, leaving the fans fuming. Wawrinka had also requested the wild card for the US Open last month, saying that he wants to play the tournament for the last time. “I have requested a wild card for the US Open. I hope to play there for the last time,” the 41-year-old said in mid-July.
How Can Wawrinka Still Play US Open?
Stan Wawrinka is not in the qualifiers list, so he can’t get into the main draw via US Open qualifying. The odds of him making the main draw now remain negligible; however, an unlikely late route is still open. Wawrinka is on the main-draw alternate list, meaning a series of withdrawals before the draw is finalised could potentially move him into the field, but the odds are low.
When Does The US Open Qualifying Gets Underway?
The US Open qualifiers will get underway from Monday, August 24, and will run till August 29. The main draw will start on August 30. The women’s singles final will be played on September 12, followed by the men’s final on September 13.
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Faham Uddin is a seasoned sports journalist currently working as a Special Correspondent on the sports desk. With over eight years of diverse experien… View More
Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/sports
