Stan Wawrinka bids farewell to US Open after missing out on wildcard

Former US Open champion Stan Wawrinka has said an emotional farewell to Flushing Meadows after missing out on a wildcard for this year’s tournament, ending his hopes of making one final appearance at the year’s last Grand Slam.

The Swiss veteran has previously confirmed that 2026 will be his final season, making the wildcard decision particularly significant. Wawrinka competed at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon this year after receiving wildcards, but he will now miss the tournament where he produced one of the greatest achievements of his career.

Wawrinka lifted the US Open trophy in 2016, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final to claim his third Grand Slam title.

The 41-year-old three-time Grand Slam champion was not included among the final wildcards announced over the weekend and will not attempt to qualify for the main draw either.

Taking to Instagram, Wawrinka reflected on his relationship with New York and the memories he created at Flushing Meadows.

“This city challenged me. It pushed me. It brought something out of me that few places ever could.”

He added that he experienced some of the strongest emotions of his career in New York, describing his 2016 US Open triumph as one of the greatest moments of his life.

“Winning the US Open in the city that never sleeps will forever be one of the greatest moments of my life,” Wawrinka wrote.

Monfils Receives Wildcard

One of the wildcard spots instead went to fellow French veteran Gael Monfils, who has also announced that he plans to retire at the end of the 2026 season.

The 39-year-old former world No. 6 is currently ranked 307th in the world, significantly lower than Wawrinka’s ranking of 127.

Monfils received a reciprocal wildcard, which are awarded through the national federations under the relevant agreement.

On the women’s side, another legendary name was handed a wildcard, with two-time US Open champion Venus Williams earning a place in this year’s tournament.

The women’s and men’s singles main draws at the US Open 2026 will begin on Sunday.

US Open 2026

The US Open is the fourth and final Grand Slam of the tennis season, taking place from August 30 to September 13.

The hard-court major is held at Flushing Meadows in New York City and traditionally brings together the world’s biggest tennis stars for the final Grand Slam title of the year.

Follow the links below for more information on the US Open 2026, including the schedule, draws, results and latest news.