Wawrinka thanks New York after missing U.S. Open wild card in final season

Stan Wawrinka thanked New York and the U.S. Open on Tuesday after failing to secure entry into the tournament in his final season before retirement.

The 41-year-old Swiss player, who won the U.S. Open title in 2016, is no longer ranked high enough to qualify directly for the event. The U.S. Tennis Association did not award him a wild card into the main draw, and he did not enter the qualifying tournament this week.

"Thank you, New York Thank you, (at) US Open," Wawrinka wrote in a social media post accompanied by emojis of the Statue of Liberty and a tennis racket. "Thank you to every single fan who supported me, pushed me, believed in me and shared all these emotions with me over the years. Forever grateful. Forever New York."

The U.S. Open is the only Grand Slam tournament not to have offered Wawrinka a wild card during his 2026 farewell season. The 2014 Australian Open champion was invited back to Melbourne, Wimbledon awarded him a place in its main draw, and Roland Garros initially granted him a wild card as the 2015 French Open champion.

Wawrinka's three major titles came during an era when Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray dominated professional tennis. He defeated Nadal in the 2014 Australian Open final and Djokovic the following year to win the French Open, in addition to his 2016 U.S. Open victory.

The decision to deny Wawrinka a wild card ended his hopes of playing one final Grand Slam tournament before concluding his career at the end of the season.