Stan Wawrinka has been denied a final appearance at the U.S. Open. The decision not to grant the former champion a wild card has sparked widespread confusion.
The awarding of wild cards for the U.S. Open is sparking debate. In particular, the decision to exclude former champion Stan Wawrinka—who is currently on his farewell tour—is causing widespread confusion.
“Of all tournaments, the U.S. Open—masters of spectacle and showmanship—are grotesquely choosing to voluntarily forgo a final celebration with ‘Stan the Man.’ And in doing so, they’re making themselves the party crashers,” noted the Swiss newspaper Blick in an editorial.
Similar sentiments were expressed on tennisnet.com. By deciding against a wild card, the US Open is “responsible for the inglorious end of Wawrinka’s Grand Slam career.”
Wawrinka, now 41 years old, will retire at the end of the season. Since the Swiss player will not be able to compete in the year’s final Grand Slam tournament, this means that his first-round loss to Matteo Berrettini at Wimbledon was his last appearance at a Grand Slam tournament.
US Open: “A very distasteful gesture toward a tournament champion”
The US Open’s decision is particularly surprising because Wawrinka won the US Open in 2016 and had competed in the main draw there a total of 17 times.
“This is a very distasteful gesture toward a tournament champion who is so beloved in the sports world,” criticized Spanish journalist José Moron. His colleague José Morgado from Portugal railed: “This is shameful.”
The fact that Gael Monfils received a wild card for the US Open instead of Wawrinka is further fueling the debate. The Frenchman, who is also in the twilight of his career, was awarded the wild card “as part of a mutual agreement with the FFT,” according to a statement from the US Open.
Under this exchange system, French players benefit in New York, while American professionals receive preferential treatment at the French Open in return.
