Former champion Stan Wawrinka will not play in the main draw of the US Open after tournament organizers denied the Swiss veteran a wild card.
The 41-year-old player, currently ranked 127th in the ATP rankings, announced his definitive farewell to the Grand Slam tournament in New York on Tuesday afternoon after learning he would not receive direct entry.
Wawrinka, who won the US Open men's singles title a decade ago, had hoped to receive a wild card for his farewell season on the professional tennis tour. While his ranking was too low for automatic qualification into the main draw, organizers chose not to grant him a special exemption.
Writing on Instagram, Wawrinka expressed his feelings about leaving the tournament for the final time. He recalled that when he first arrived in New York from a small Swiss farming village, everything felt overwhelming, including the size of the city, the noise, the energy, the crowds, and the lights.
He explained that over the years New York grew to become one of his favorite places in the world. The city challenged him, motivated him, and brought out emotions that few other venues could match, supported by fierce battles, late nights on court, an incredible atmosphere, and dedicated fans.
Wawrinka added that capturing the US Open title in the city that never sleeps would forever remain one of the highlights of his life. He concluded his message by thanking New York, the tournament organizers, and every fan who had believed in him and shared his career journey.
Fan reaction on social media
The announcement sparked widespread criticism of tournament organizers among tennis fans on social media. Supporters flooded the comments section of Wawrinka's post to express dismay at the decision to deny a former champion a main draw farewell.
One commenter thanked Wawrinka for his contributions to tennis and his sportsmanship on and off the court. The fan expressed hope that his famous single-handed backhand would be immortalized in bronze, while describing the US Open's refusal to grant him a final farewell as both incomprehensible and disgraceful.
Other fans echoed those sentiments, calling the decision a mistake and stating that the tournament did not deserve the Swiss master. Several comments noted that Wawrinka had delivered a subtle rebuke to tournament management with a single gracious post.
Qualifying options and alternative wild cards
Some observers noted that Wawrinka retained the option to play in the US Open qualifying tournament based on his current ranking. However, critics emphasized that a main draw wild card would have guaranteed a proper farewell on the main stage before a full stadium, matching the send-offs he received at other major events.
Earlier this year, organizers at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon all accommodated Wawrinka during his farewell tour. Wimbledon remains the only Grand Slam singles title Wawrinka has not won in his career, having captured the Australian Open in 2014, the French Open in 2015, and the US Open in 2016.
While American tournament organizers held the full right to allocate wild cards at their discretion, their choices drew comparison to other invitations granted for the event. Qualifying is currently underway in New York, where a qualifying wild card was awarded to Kei Nishikori, currently ranked 477th in the ATP rankings, who reached the US Open final 12 years ago.
Meanwhile, a special wild card into the main draw was granted to French veteran Gael Monfils, ranked 307th in the ATP rankings. Monfils, who is also competing in his final season, received the entry through a reciprocal wild card exchange agreement between the French Tennis Federation and the United States Tennis Association.
Season record and recent results
Wawrinka has struggled for form during his final year on tour, winning nine of his 28 matches this season. In his most recent outing before the US Open, he recorded a 1-1 match record at an ATP Challenger event in Cancun, a tournament eventually won by Polish player Hubert Hurkacz.
His Grand Slam record for the season stands at two wins and three losses. At the Australian Open, Wawrinka defeated Laslo Djere, ranked 206th in the world, and Arthur Gea, ranked 86th, before falling to world number 10 Taylor Fritz in the third round.
Subsequent Grand Slam appearances yielded early exits for the Swiss player. He was eliminated in the opening rounds at Roland Garros by Jesper de Jong, ranked 99th in the world, and at Wimbledon by Matteo Berrettini, ranked 43rd in the ATP rankings.
