The USTA announced on Wednesday the men’s singles wild card entrants for the US Open in Flushing Meadows, with some well-known names amongst the recipients. Here we look at those awarded a wild card and share our thoughts.
US Open Men’s Wild Cards
Stan Wawrinka
Probably the best-known name of eight men. The Swiss 39-year-old is a three-time Grand Slam champion, including the US Open. Wawrinka claimed the 2016 title, defeating Novak Djokovic over four sets. The Swiss has also won the French Open and the Australian Open. Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam that has eluded the 39-year-old, where a quarterfinal has been the best finish.
Dominic Thiem
Another US Open Champion, Thiem won in 2020 in the COVID year. The Austrian had a very good season in 2020. Making the final of the Australian Open and the quarterfinal of the French Open. Wimbledon was not held that year. Thiem has not replicated that form since. The best showing was the fourth round in Australia in 2021. As a previous champion, it was a given that the Austrian would get a wild card, especially in his final year.
Chris Eubanks
The first of the Americans awarded a wild card to their home Grand Slam. The best showing for the 28-year-old has been the second round. Eubanks has made the semifinal of one ATP main tour event since Wimbledon, which also happened to be on grass. In Newport, Rhode Island, the American lost that match to the eventual champion. Eubanks will be desperate to progress further in his home Grand Slam.
Zachary Svajda
An exciting prospect for the future of American tennis, Svajda has played the US Open on a wild card before. His first was in 2019 at the tender age of 16. This made Svajda the youngest male to play the event since Donald Young in 2005. The 21-year-old has been moving up the rankings steadily. With a career high ranking of #109, the youngster is one to watch for the future.
Learner Tien
Another youngster who is touted as the future for American tennis, Tien is just 18-years-old. The youngster has impressed at junior Grand Slams, making the quarterfinal or better at each of the four. This season, Tien received a wild card for the challenger event in Cranbrook. The American claimed his maiden Challenger title at this event. This will be why he has been awarded a wild card for the US Open.
Matthew Forbes
Matthew Forbes is another young star. The 18-year-old American has been mostly on the ITF junior circuit. This season Forbes has a 50% win ratio on hard courts, currently his best surface. Forbes will be an unknown on the main tour but has impressed the USTA enough to gain a coveted wild card to his home grand slam.
Alexandre Muller
Under a reciprocal agreement where the French Open award a wild card to an American, the Frenchman has been selected by the US Open to receive a wild card into this event. Muller claimed the title in San Marino as the third seed. The 27-year-old has never progressed beyond the second round of a grand slam, but will be hoping that this year with the wild card he gets the chance.
Tristan Schoolkate
Like the French Open, the Australian Open give at least one wild card to an American, so the USTA offer a wild card to an Australian. Schoolkate has not played the US Open before and has never managed to qualify for the Australian Open either. This will mark the 23-year-old’s grand slam debut. This essentially will be the biggest pay out for Schoolkate. Should the Australian lose in the first round, he will make around $25,00. In the field of lower tier tennis, that amount will be the largest prize money he will have claimed.
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
