Stan Wawrinka will play at this year’s US Open after all after a withdrawal opened up a wild card spot for the 2016 champion.
The USTA initially confirmed at the start of the week that Wawrinka, the three-time Grand Slam winner who is retiring at the end of the season, was not on their list of eight wild-card spots.
The 41-year-old had even penned an emotional message on social media, marking the end of his Grand Slam and US Open career, but the withdrawal due to injury of Patrick Kypson on Wednesday, previously awarded a wild card, has handed Wawrinka and the USTA a reprieve.
Wawrinka said: “I’m incredibly excited to accept the wild card for the 2026 US Open and look forward to competing in front of the fans in New York once again.”
It means Wawrinka will make one last major appearance in the main draw at Flushing Meadows in New York. The tournament starts on Sunday, with the draw taking place on Thursday at 5pm (BST).
The initial decision not to award Wawrinka a wild card was much-criticised across tennis circles, particularly given the Swiss player had featured at every other major this year – and impressed in a run to the third round at the Australian Open.
Wawrinka’s world ranking has dropped to 127, putting him just outside the window for direct main draw entry. He could have played in qualifying, as Grigor Dimitrov has opted to do, but he has now been vindicated by his choice.
Wawrinka won the last of his three Grand Slams in New York, after triumphing at the Australian Open in 2014 and the French Open in 2015.
The Swiss player has already confirmed that he plans to bow out at his home tournament, the Swiss Indoors event in Basel, in October.
