"I have requested a wildcard for the US Open" - Stan Wawrinka pondering over Flushing Meadows return following final ever clay match

Stan Wawrinka will never play on a clay court again, or at least competitively. He exited the Estoril Open in a three-set defeat against Roman Andres Burruchaga as he waves goodbye to another tournament in his farewell tour. However, he is not in the stage of reminiscing in the past, looking forward to bigger things which most importantly include the US Open.

A former champion at Flushing Meadows, the most recent of his three Grand Slam triumphs came in New York 10 years ago. It was the first Grand Slam he reached the last-eight of back in 2010 before reaching at least the semi-final three of four times between 2013 and 2016.

This was in a period where the 'Big Three' still ruled the ATP Tour, sweeping up most of the titles while everyone else fed off scraps. This purple patch over a few years for the Swiss changed the dynamic completely and proved that they could be defeated on the big stage.

The final time this occurred was in 2016 when he came from a set down to defeat the reigning champion Novak Djokovic to be crowned as the champion, confirming success in his third from four Grand Slam tournaments. He never made it past the Wimbledon quarter-finals, leaving that one as the only one not to taste glory in.

Now the North American hardcourt swing is the priority for Wawrinka, highlighted by the coveted US Open. It would be an 18th appearance and a first since 2024 when he exited in the first round.

However, getting in could be an issue. With his ranking not high enough, he may be forced to rely on being received a wildcard, falling back on his status as a former winner with the added bonus that it is his final time making the trip as a player to this specific tournament, as it is with all the other events he has played or yet to play.

Following his final ever clay match in Portugal, he commented on his future aspirations on North America. “I have requested a wildcard for the US Open. I hope to play there for the last time," he said. “There is also a Challenger in Cancun. If I secure the invitation for New York, I will play that Challenger to get ready. I am only guaranteed to play in the Lyon and Basel tournaments. I will still decide if I play more tournaments.”

This means he will not feature in the Masters 1000 tournaments in Canada or Cincinnati. Following the US Open would be the Asian swing before a trip back to Europe would mark the end of his journey in tennis, with the Swiss Indoors on home soil his last chance to put on a show at this level.

It may be the final year for the 41-year-old, but it is not the most satisfying from a results perspective. He has won seven singles matches this year, one in qualifying, and has suffered a lot of first round exits although some have been tight and entertaining contests where he has shown his quality.

He has lost in the first round in his prior four tournaments. This includes the Grand Slam events at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. The final two clay tournaments following the short grass swing came in Gstaad on home soil where just lost out at the end to Jaime Faria before bowing out in Estoril.

This will not improve his wildcard chances, with it possibly tricky for him to secure his place. The US Open tend to prioritise players from their own country, as do other tournaments. They have an agreement with the Australian Open and French Open to pick at least one Australian and French player, but the heat is now on whether Wawrinka will get rewarded as well.

He would be a popular inclusion, and it would be a truly poignant scene if he had the chance to play in his final ever Grand Slam match in New York. The tournament will take place from August 31 - September 13.