Five Grand Slam champions, five every different routes into the US Open – including Serena Williams and Stan Wawrinka

Thursday, 30 July 2026 at 19:30

The US Open main draw has a situation with several former Grand Slam champions are currently outside the automatic entry list for the 2026 edition. Players who once lifted major trophies in New York, Melbourne or Paris are now facing a different challenge: finding a way back into one of the sport’s biggest stages.

Winning a Grand Slam does not guarantee a place in another major years later. Five former champions, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Stan Wawrinka, Bianca Andreescu and Sofia Kenin are currently outside the direct-entry list for the 2026 US Open.

Their situations differ considerably. Serena and Venus would realistically require wildcards, Wawrinka has formally requested one for his farewell appearance, Andreescu is likely heading towards qualifying, while Kenin sits seventh on the alternate list. Here is what each former champion needs to reach Flushing Meadows.

Past achievements alone do not guarantee a place in a Grand Slam main draw, meaning even former world No. 1 players and champions must rely on other opportunities. Depending on their circumstances, those routes can include wildcards, qualifying, moving in from the alternate list following withdrawals or already-submitted protected or special ranking.

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Outside direct entry means that they are outside any sort of qualification route for example Serena Williams, alternate means they are high in the list but not enough to enter qualifying and not entered at all means currently they have no way of getting in.

With the US Open approaching, these former champions still have different paths available to reach Flushing Meadows. While some remain realistic candidates for a wildcard due to their history and popularity, others will need to improve their ranking situation quickly if they want another opportunity to compete under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Big names in US Open qualification plight

Player	Status	Box Text
Serena Williams	Outside qualification route	Status: Outside qualification route. Serena was not entered for the US Open and would require a wildcard to compete.
Venus Williams	Outside qualification route	Status: Outside qualification route. Venus was not entered for the US Open and would require a wildcard to compete.
Stan Wawrinka	Wildcard requested	Status: Wildcard requested. Wawrinka has formally asked for a US Open wildcard. Without one, he would need to play qualifying.
Bianca Andreescu	Qualifying position	Status: Qualifying. Andreescu is expected to enter the qualifying tournament unless she receives a wildcard.
Sofia Kenin	Alternate list	Status: Alternate list (No. 7). Kenin is waiting for withdrawals to move into the qualifying field or main draw, with a wildcard also remaining a possibility.

1. Serena Williams and Venus Williams need US Open wildcards

The Williams sisters are two of the most iconic champions in US Open history, but both currently find themselves outside the direct entry list for the 2026 tournament.

Serena Williams, who recently returned to competition during the grass-court swing, currently sits at No. 1,227 in the WTA rankings after making only one singles appearance over the last four years. Her comeback match at Wimbledon ended with a first-round defeat against Maya Joint, but the 23-time Grand Slam champion remains one of the biggest attractions in tennis.

Serena Williams standing on Centre Court at Wimbledon, with the scoreboard in the background.

Serena Williams lost to Maya Joint 3-6, 7-6, 3-6 in the first round of Wimbledon.

The American won six US Open singles titles during her career and last competed in New York in 2022, when she reached the third round before losing to Ajla Tomljanovic in what was considered her farewell tournament at the time. Now 44 years old and back on tour, Serena will need a wildcard to enter the 2026 edition, which appears to be her only realistic route into the main draw.

Venus Williams faces a similar situation. The seven-time Grand Slam champion has continued making occasional appearances on tour but currently sits at No. 667 in the WTA rankings, leaving her outside both direct entry and a realistic qualifying position.

The two-time US Open champion would also need a wildcard to compete in New York. Given her history at the tournament and her status as one of the sport’s greatest champions, Venus remains a strong candidate for an invitation if she decides to continue her comeback.

Neither were on the original entry list. A wildcard would require them to confirm that they actually intend to play so in theory we could get another merry go round ala Wimbledon once more with Serena in particular.

2. Stan Wawrinka formally requests one final appearance

Stan Wawrinka is approaching the final stages of his remarkable career, and the 2026 US Open could represent one of his last opportunities to compete at the tournament where he created one of his greatest memories.

The Swiss veteran is currently in what is expected to be his final season on tour and has already received wildcards to complete appearances at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon. A US Open invitation would allow him to complete the set of Grand Slam appearances in his farewell year.

Stan Wawrinka competing at the ATP finals in 2014

Stan Wawrinka won his third Grand Slam title at 2016 US Open, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final.

Wawrinka’s connection with Flushing Meadows remains significant. In 2016, the former world No. 3 captured his third Grand Slam title in New York, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final to claim one of the biggest victories of his career.

That history could play an important role when tournament organizers decide their wildcard selections. However, Wawrinka was surprisingly left out of the 2025 US Open main draw, meaning a place in New York is not guaranteed despite his achievements.

Without a wildcard, the Swiss would need to compete in qualifying, requiring three consecutive victories just to reach the main draw. For a player with three major titles and more than two decades at the highest level, organizers could decide that 2026 is the right moment to give him one final opportunity on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

3. Bianca Andreescu faces a return to qualifying

Bianca Andreescu remains one of the most memorable US Open champions of the modern era, but seven years after her breakthrough triumph, the Canadian is facing another battle just to return to the tournament’s main draw.

In 2019, Andreescu produced one of the most surprising Grand Slam runs in recent history. At just 19 years old and making only her fourth major appearance, she defeated Serena Williams in the final to become the first Canadian woman to win a singles Grand Slam title.

That victory immediately transformed her career, pushing her into the top five of the rankings and establishing her as one of the most exciting young players in the sport. However, injuries have repeatedly interrupted her progress, preventing her from building consistency and causing her ranking to fall significantly.

Bianca Andreescu won her first Slam title at just 19 years old, but since then she has not been able to stay injury-free and at a good level.

Andreescu currently sits at No. 174 in the WTA rankings, meaning she is outside the US Open main draw. Without a wildcard, the Canadian will need to go through qualifying — a route she has already taken several times during recent Grand Slam campaigns.

She successfully passed Wimbledon qualifying this year but was unable to continue her run in the main draw, losing in the first round against Shuai Zhang. The former champion will now hope to find enough form during the hard-court swing to earn another opportunity in New York.

4. Sofia Kenin sits seventh on alternate list

Sofia Kenin has also experienced a difficult ranking decline after reaching the highest point of her career with her 2020 Australian Open triumph.

The American recently dropped outside the top 100 and missed direct entry into her home Grand Slam. Now ranked No. 108 on the US Open entry list, Kenin remains one of the closest alternatives outside the main draw but would likely need several withdrawals or a wildcard to avoid qualifying.

Injuries and inconsistent results caused Kenin to fall in the rankings, eventually dropping her out of the top 100 after two years.

A similar situation occurred three years ago when Kenin entered Grand Slam qualifying events while trying to rebuild her ranking. She failed to reach the main draw at Roland Garros that season but later used Wimbledon qualifying as an opportunity to regain momentum.

After advancing through qualifying at Wimbledon, Kenin produced one of her best recent Grand Slam performances, coming through qualifying before stunning world No. 7 Coco Gauff in the first round.

The American could still move directly into the US Open main draw if several players withdraw due to injury. The final direct entry currently sits around No. 193, meaning Kenin is one of the first players waiting for possible movement before qualifying begins.

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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