Three-time Grand Slam champion Stanislas “Stan” Wawrinka will miss the US Open after being denied a main-draw wildcard, sparking criticism in the tennis community. The 41-year-old Swiss, who plans to retire at the end of the 2026 season and won the title at Flushing Meadows in 2016, is currently ranked No. 125, just nine spots below the direct-entry cutoff.
Wawrinka responded to the snub with an emotional tribute to New York, while former US Open champion Andy Roddick also voiced his strong disapproval of the decision.
Stan Wawrinka Reflects on US Open Glory After Wildcard Snub as Andy Roddick Questions Wildcard Decision
The US Open’s decision triggered backlash, especially given Wawrinka’s status as a three-time Grand Slam champion who achieved major success during the Big Three’s dominance. However, rather than voicing his frustration, Wawrinka responded with grace by sharing an emotional tribute to New York, the city where he achieved one of his biggest career victories.
“When I first arrived in New York from a small farming village in Switzerland, everything felt too big. The city. The noise. The energy. The crowds. The lights,” Wawrinka wrote on his Instagram post.
“But, year after year, New York slowly became one of my favourite places in the world. This city challenged me. It pushed me. It brought something out of me that few places ever could. Winning the US Open, in the city that never sleeps, will forever be one of the greatest moments of my life.”
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Meanwhile, on the “Served” podcast, 2003 US Open champion Roddick criticized the decision, saying that Wawrinka’s hard work and humility during his final season deserved recognition.
“I’m disappointed for the Wawrinka decision, not just because he’s a great champion, a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But Stan has gone about his farewell as you would want someone to go about their farewell,” Roddick said. “Respect for the game, doing it the right way… You would hope that those types of action… would be rewarded. They weren’t in this instance.”
Roddick and Jon Wertheim also discussed how wildcards can be given through special agreements between Grand Slam nations. Gaël Monfils got a spot through an agreement with the French Tennis Federation, but Wawrinka had no such option because Switzerland does not host a Grand Slam.
The US Open is already underway, with its star-studded mixed doubles event in full swing, and the Round of 16 matches currently taking place. The singles main draw will begin on August 30.
