US Open confirms singles wild cards: Venus, Stephens and Monfils in as Serena’s spot stays open
The US Open confirmed its singles wild cards, with Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens leading the women’s list and Gael Monfils and Alexei Popyrin the men’s, leaving one spot open as Serena Williams remains undecided.
Venus Williams, Cincinnati 2026 | © Tom Brenner/Wick Photography for Cincinnati Open
The USTA has awarded seven of the eight women’s singles wild cards for the 2026 US Open, headlined by two former champions, Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens, while the men’s list of seven names was confirmed in full on Tuesday.
The final women’s spot remains unassigned, with Serena Williams still undecided on her participation as singles qualifying begins Monday in New York. She did feature in Cincinnati this week, however, reuniting with sister Venus in the doubles draw for the first time since 2022, a pairing that fell in the first round to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns.
The women’s wild cards announced so far:
- Sloane Stephens (USA) – the 2017 champion, who has climbed from No. 1,098 to No. 240 this season after a seven-month injury layoff, and has already reached the Cincinnati third round.
- Venus Williams (USA) – the 2000-01 champion, appearing in her 26th US Open main draw at age 46.
- Carol Young Suh Lee (USA) – winner of the US Open Wild Card Challenge.
- Reese Brantmeier (USA) – winner of the American Collegiate Player Wild Card Playoff.
- Thea Frodin (USA) – the USTA Girls’ 18s national champion.
- Taylah Preston (AUS) – the reciprocal Tennis Australia wild card.
- Leolia Jeanjean (FRA) – the reciprocal FFT wild card.
Serena, who returned to singles at Wimbledon after a near four-year absence before a knee injury cut her run short, has not committed either way. With qualifying now imminent, a decision is expected within days.
The men’s field is set at seven, led by Gael Monfils and Alexei Popyrin alongside five Americans:
Gael Monfils (FRA) – playing his farewell season on tour, the reciprocal FFT wild card.
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) – a three-time ATP Tour champion, the reciprocal Tennis Australia wild card.
Martin Damm (USA) – fresh off his Top 100 debut this month.
Michael Zheng (USA) – the back-to-back NCAA singles champion out of Columbia, now closing in on the Top 100, PIF ATP Next Gen Accelerator qualifier
J.J. Wolf (USA) – winning the men’s US Open Wild Card Challenge
Jack Kennedy (USA) – the 18-year-old USTA National 18s champion & PIF ATP Next Gen Accelerator qualifier
Sebastian Gorzny (USA) – PIF ATP Next Gen Accelerator qualifier
Kei Nishikori, who like Monfils is retiring at season’s end, received a wild card into qualifying rather than the main draw, as the former US Open finalist (2014) prepares for one of his final tournaments.
Main-draw play begins August 30 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
