Stan Wawrinka’s US Open Wild Card Snub Ahead of Retirement Sparks Wild Reactions – “Disgusting Decision”

Stan Wawrinka will hang up his racket after this season, and he hoped to appear at the US Open for one last time. But alas, he was not given a wild card.

According to journalist Ben Rothenberg, Wawrinka requested the wild card but was denied. Thus, his Major career has ended, and Wimbledon will now remain ‘Stan the Man’s last Grand Slam. Wimbledon, in fact, is also the only Major which the 41-year-old never won.

At SW19, Wawrinka, who never made it past the quarterfinals, lost in the first round after a marathon four-set match against Matteo Berrettini. He was granted the wild card for the French Open as well, and there too he crashed out after the first round with a four-set defeat to Jesper De Jong.

And at the Australian Open back in January, Wawrinka reached a Grand Slam third round after a four-set win over Laslo Djere and a five-set win over Arthur Gea. He couldn’t overcome 2024 US Open finalist Taylor Fritz, losing the third round in four sets. He made a Grand Slam third round for the first time since the 2023 US Open.

The singles wild card entrants are: Darwin Blanch, Sebastian Gorzny, Jack Kennedy, Patrick Kypson, Gael Monfils, Dane Sweeny, J.J. Wolf, and Michael Zheng. Monfils, a one-time US Open semifinalist, is also playing in his career’s final season.

Wawrinka was last seen in action in a Challenger event in Cancun. But the last time he featured in a tour-level competition was in the first round of the Swiss Open Gstaad, where Jaime Faria defeated him.

Fans slam the US Open for not giving the wild card to Stan Wawrinka

Stan Wawrinka is a former champion at the US Open. It was in New York back in 2010 that he played his career’s first Grand Slam quarterfinal. It was also here back in 2013 that he played his career’s first Major semifinal.

Then two years later, in 2016, Wawrinka finally tasted glory. He upset 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic 6–7(1–7), 6–4, 7–5, 6–3 and clinched his career’s third Grand Slam title following his 2014 Australian Open and 2015 French Open triumphs. So many thought he would be awarded the wild card in his retirement year. But as he was not granted one, as expected, it has sparked backlash.

Check fans’ reactions here:

Sad. Really bad decision. This will never be forgotten and will change WC rules to include past champions. Shocking. Really sad. Tennis fans have always loved Stan the Man.

— 10sBalls (@10sBalls_com) August 23, 2026

This decision is a disgrace. They have no respect for Stan or his fans. I would argue this shows a lack of respect to tennis all together. Isn’t this situation why wild cards exist?! Absolutely shameful.

— Melissa (@TrueNorth4) August 23, 2026

That's really terrible. How do you not give a former winner a wildcard in his last season on tour.

Disgusting decision

— Big Tuna (@lifesaruse) August 23, 2026

So pathetic and messed up on their part. He literally won the tournament and it’s his last year on tour. How do Monfils and Popyrin deserve one over Stan? It makes no sense. Shame on them.

— MizMittens (@MizMittens) August 24, 2026

It seems they gave Thiem the MD WC years ago just as "virtue signalling" against RG when they didn't give him an MD WC,?, it seems…like seems weird a former champion isn't given one when they gave Thiem one as a former champion because RG has snubbed him, IMO.

— Zion John Z. Rosal (@zjrosal) August 24, 2026

This is a PR disaster for the U.S. Open. They could have given Stan a nice send off in his final slam. The person at the USTA that made the final decision is a massive idiot and should find something else to do for a living…

— Steve SC (@steve_usc1) August 23, 2026

I have seen bad decisions in this life, but I genuinely cannot describe the level of stupidity of this decision by @usopen. What message does this send to the players? That even if you win the trophy, they have no respect for you. How does a US OPEN champion miss a Wild card?

— Bråå K●F¡ ™ 🇬🇭|🇨🇦 (@eii_braakofi) August 23, 2026

The people who decided the wild cards are a disgrace to the sport. They should be ashamed of themselves for not giving Stan a wild card.

— Sam Innes (@sam_innes19) August 23, 2026

Wawrinka will hope to leave the US Open disappointment behind and focus on the other tournaments he will be playing before calling time on his career. In an interview earlier this year, Wawrinka expressed his wish to hang up his racket at the Swiss Indoors in Basel.

Before the singles main draw at Flushing Meadows, several top players will play mixed doubles, including Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka. Carlos Alcaraz is also set to make his much-awaited return to the tour here.

He has paired up for the mixed doubles with 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams. The 23-year-old was last seen in action in the first round of the Barcelona Open, where he injured his wrist and has remained on the sidelines since then, skipping both the French Open and Wimbledon.

Jack Draper and Holger Rune withdrew due to injury problems. World No.1 Jannik Sinner has also pulled out due to a knee injury. The US Open will mark the first Grand Slam tournament he will skip since his Major debut at the 2019 US Open.

Both Sinner and Alcaraz, however, have already claimed one Major this season. Alcaraz won the Australian Open for the first time, while the five-time Grand Slam champion defended his Wimbledon crown. Alexander Zverev took home the French Open title.

Also read: Stefanos Tsitsipas Redefines His Career Path with a Fresh Long-Term Perspective: “I am a Night Owl”