Three-time Grand Slam champion earns a main-draw invitation after Patrick Kypson’s injury withdrawal, giving the Swiss veteran one more chance to return to the scene of his greatest triumph
New York, August 26, 2026: Stan Wawrinka’s US Open story has taken a dramatic turn. Just a day after appearing to bid an emotional farewell to Flushing Meadows, the 41-year-old Swiss has been handed a main-draw wild card for the 2026 US Open.
The opportunity became available after American Patrick Kypson, who had previously received the final men’s singles wild card, withdrew from the tournament because of injury. The US Open confirmed that Wawrinka would take the vacant spot.
For Wawrinka, the timing could hardly be more significant. The Swiss is competing in the final season of his professional career and will retire at the end of 2026. The invitation means he will get another opportunity to compete at the tournament where he produced one of the defining victories of his career.
From farewell to one more appearance
Wawrinka had initially been left out of the US Open wild-card list, with the final invitation going to Kypson. With no place in the main draw, the former world No. 3 posted an emotional message thanking New York and the US Open, seemingly preparing to close the chapter on his Grand Slam career.
But Kypson’s injury withdrawal changed everything.
The vacancy has now opened the door for Wawrinka to make a final competitive appearance at Flushing Meadows — exactly 10 years after he lifted the trophy there.
A champion returning to his favourite stage
Wawrinka’s US Open numbers underline why his return carries so much significance.
US Open champion: 2016
US Open record: 46 wins, 16 losses
Grand Slam titles: 3
Career-high singles ranking: World No. 3
US Open debut: 2005
2016 final: Defeated Novak Djokovic in four sets
Final season: 2026
His 2016 title was particularly memorable. Wawrinka defeated then-world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the final to claim his third major championship. Earlier, he had won the Australian Open in 2014 and Roland Garros in 2015.
That victory also completed a remarkable Grand Slam collection for a player who spent much of his prime competing in the era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic.
Recent form: experience over numbers
Wawrinka comes into the tournament without the results that once made him a consistent Grand Slam threat. His most recent competitive appearance came at the Cancun Challenger, where he defeated Dalibor Svrcina 7-6(8-6), 7-6(7-3) before losing to Roman Safiullin 3-6, 4-6.
At Wimbledon earlier this summer, he pushed Matteo Berrettini through four extremely tight sets before eventually losing 7-6(9-7), 6-7(16-18), 6-7(7-9), 6-7(5-7).
Those results underline the challenge facing the veteran, but they also show that Wawrinka remains capable of producing competitive tennis against higher-ranked opponents.
One final New York chapter
Wawrinka’s return is more than another entry on the US Open draw sheet. It gives one of the defining major champions of his generation a chance to say goodbye on his own terms.
“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,” Wawrinka said.
The main draw begins on August 30, and Wawrinka will now walk into Flushing Meadows not as an outsider hoping for an invitation, but as a former champion preparing for one final US Open campaign.
Ten years after his greatest night in New York, the curtain has been lifted once more for Stan Wawrinka. Whether it becomes another deep run or simply an emotional farewell, his return ensures that one of the tournament’s most memorable champions gets one more chance under the lights.
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