US Open Hits It Out Of the Park With Sentimental and Strategic Wildcards

The 2024 US Open is upon us. The final Grand Slam of the 2024 tennis season, held in New York City, begins with main draw play on August 26 and concludes on September 8. This year’s US Open comes after an abbreviated hardcourt season for the Paris Olympians. They played on clay instead of North American hard courts during late July and August.

Eight wildcards are distributed at each Grand Slam to players deemed worthy of an immediate position in the 128-player draw. In recent Grand Slams, criticisms over the wildcard choices were plentiful. The US Open, striking the right balance between sentiment and strategy, has gotten it right.

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2 Previous Men’s Champions Receive Wildcards

Two previous men’s and women’s champions received US Open wildcards. On the men’s side, the sentimental selection was Dominic Thiem. Thiem is the 2020 US Open champion. His career was on an upward trajectory when COVID-19, injuries, and confidence issues plagued him. In addition to his US Open win, Thiem, 30, is a three-time Grand Slam finalist. He announced his plan to retire at the end of the 2024 season. Fans will be delighted to see him on court in New York one last time.

Joining Thiem is 39-year-old Stan Wawrinka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, including a 2016 US Open win. Wawrinka has not announced any retirement plans, but fans know he is nearing the end of his career. “Stan the Man” can always be counted on for an electric atmosphere in New York.

2 Previous Women’s Champions Receive Wildcards

Naomi Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam Champion and two-time US Open champion (2018, 2020), received a wildcard. Osaka, 26, returned to the WTA Tour in 2024 after missing all of 2023 on maternity leave. She has struggled to find her previous form. If there is any place she will find it, it will be New York, the site of some of her most memorable tennis matches.

Canadian Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 US Open champion, is also in the draw via a wildcard. Andreescu, 24, has dealt with multiple injuries and mental health issues that have kept her off of the court for prolonged periods since her big win.

1 Famous US Player Receives a Wildcard

Amanda Anisimova, a young American who has struggled with injuries, family tragedy, and mental health issues, is resurging this summer. Anisimova stepped away from tennis last year to work on herself and attend college. She is finding her game on the hardcourts this summer, finishing as a finalist at the Canadian Open.

Other Big Names Do Not Require Wildcards And Will Play

The Top 100 ranked players usually are granted instant entry into the main draw of a Grand Slam. Because of this, some players are making the draw without a wildcard.

One of those players is Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu. Raducanu, 21, spent 2023 recovering from three surgeries. The 2021 US Open is her only WTA title. She won as an unknown qualifier. (16 players play matches before the tournament to qualify for the main draw.) Raducanu is currently ranked 71st. Another is Caroline Wozniacki. Wozniacki returned to the 2023 US Open after taking three years off to get married and start a family. Wozniacki is ranked 84th.

The US Open qualifying matches begin on August 19. The tournament draw will be announced on August 22. 2023 US Open champions Coco Gauff and Novak Djokovic will be back in New York to defend their titles with current World No. 1 players Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner in pursuit of their second Grand Slam titles of the 2024 season. Sinner opened the year by winning the Australian Open in January, and Swiatek won her fourth French Open in five years in May.

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This article was written by Wendi Oliveros