All articles tagged with #wildcard
Stan Wawrinka’s final Grand Slam appearance came via a wildcard at the US Open, where Matteo Berrettini defeated him in the first round; he also weighed in on Novak Djokovic’s shock first‑round loss to Mariano Navone, saying Djokovic remains dangerous despite fitness issues. The piece notes Wawrinka’s 160 Grand Slam wins and his planned retirement at the 2026 Swiss Indoors.
Seventeen-year-old Thea Frodin, who served as Serena Williams’ body double in the King Richard biopic, will make her Grand Slam main-draw debut at the 2026 US Open as a wildcard, facing Elena Rybakina in the first round.
Teenager Thea Frodin, who once served as Serena Williams’ body double for King Richard, makes her US Open main-draw singles debut after earning a wildcard by winning the USTA Girls' 18s National Championships; she trained with Will Smith on set, has briefly emulated Serena’s strokes, and will face world No. 2 Elena Rybakina, hoping to showcase her own game and perhaps meet the Williams sisters during the fortnight.
Serena and Venus Williams will reunite for doubles at the 2026 US Open after receiving a wildcard from the USTA, their first Grand Slam doubles pairing since 2022, adding to their 14 major doubles titles; play is scheduled to begin on Sept. 3–4.
Stan Wawrinka, 41, will retire at year’s end and was not granted a US Open wildcard for a farewell appearance, despite receiving wildcards at the Australian Open and Wimbledon and entering the French Open on ranking. He publicly thanked the US Open and New York, describing the city as a place that shaped some of his strongest memories and noting the battles and crowd energy that defined his US Open era; wildcard decisions are made by federations and the USTA, with reciprocity rules affecting such allocations.
Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz will compete in the US Open mixed doubles after receiving a main-draw wildcard, marking Williams’ return to competition and Alcaraz’s return from a four-month wrist absence. The event runs Aug 24–26, ahead of the singles tournament, and features a field that includes notable pairings, with the format having been tweaked last year to include more singles stars, shorter sets and 10-point tiebreaks. Defending doubles champions Errani/Vavassori are the only doubles specialists to receive a main-draw wildcard, while others will go through qualifying or wildcard routes.
The US Open 2026 has awarded singles wildcards to Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens and Stan Wawrinka; Williams, 46, remains a major crowd-puller despite limited recent slam results, while Gaël Monfils received a men's wildcard in what could be his final Grand Slam, and one additional wildcard could still go to Wawrinka as he nears retirement.
Arthur Fery, a British wildcard raised near Wimbledon and a Stanford alum, has reached the 2026 Wimbledon men's semifinal and will play second seed Alexander Zverev on Centre Court, capping a patient ascent aided by injury rehab, a refined serve and his movement-based, calm game.
British wildcard Arthur Fery stunned Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 7-6(7-4), 6-0 to reach Wimbledon’s semi-finals, becoming the first men’s wildcard to reach the last four in 25 years and setting up a clash with Alexander Zverev; the 23-year-old has risen from outside the top 500 18 months ago due to injury, has earned about £900,000 in prize money, and will leave Wimbledon as Britain’s new No.1 as his fairytale run continues.
British wildcard Arthur Fery stunned ninth seed Flavio Cobolli in three sets to reach the Wimbledon men's singles semi-finals, marking only the fifth time a Brit has done so in the Open era. The 23-year-old rises to about world No. 36 and will face Alexander Zverev next, with a prize purse around £900,000. Fery’s run, backed by the LTA and Stanford background, reflects a notable surge for British tennis as Centre Court cheered his historic run.
Serena Williams opted for a late wildcard into Wimbledon 2026 singles, returning to competition after four years away and choosing to focus on enjoying the game rather than chasing a 24th Grand Slam. She opens against Maya Joint, has been training intensely, and has earned respect from peers like Novak Djokovic as she tests whether she can compete at the highest level again.
Serena Williams, who retired in 2022, has been awarded a Wimbledon singles wildcard for 2026, triggering overwhelming excitement and debate across the tennis world as she returns to the singles draw—backed by her husband Alexis Ohanian and anticipated by fans and analysts while she trains at SW19 with her family.
Serena Williams has been handed Wimbledon’s final wildcard to return to singles, marking her first singles appearance in nearly four years since retiring in 2022. The 23-time major champion has been playing doubles this season (including a Wimbledon doubles run with Venus) and has trained on the grass ahead of the tournament. Her exact form in singles remains uncertain after a lengthy layoff and past injuries, but the comeback will be watched closely as she aims to end her Wimbledon story on a new note.
Serena and Venus Williams were awarded a Wimbledon doubles wildcard for 2026, reuniting on the Wimbledon stage in the women’s doubles; neither sister is listed for singles yet, as Serena returns from a comeback and Venus continues in doubles ahead of retirement. The wildcard is at the discretion of Wimbledon’s committee, with other notable entries including Stan Wawrinka and Grigor Dimitrov in the men’s draw and several British players receiving women’s singles wildcards.
With 17 days left in the regular season, the East wild-card race tightens as the Flyers, Senators and Red Wings chase the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final playoff berth, highlighted by a full Tuesday slate of games with key implications for playoff positioning.