Pro Media & News

US Open Wild Card challenge returns for sixth year

Sally Milano | June 29, 2017


In just a few weeks, the sixth annual US Open Wild Card Challenge will kick off, giving American players the chance to earn a wild card to compete in the 2017 US Open.

As in previous years, the American man and American woman who earn the most ATP World Tour and WTA ranking points during the challenge will receive main-draw wild cards into the US Open. This year, however, U.S. players competing in the challenge will have more ways than ever before to earn a spot in the year’s final Grand Slam.
    
For the first time ever, U.S. men can earn points by playing not only in USTA Pro Circuit events but also in ATP and Challenger-level hard-court tournaments held throughout the world over a five-week period. American women will continue to utilize USTA Pro Circuit events to earn challenge points, but they can also earn points by competing in this summer’s WTA events in Washington, D.C. and Stanford, Calif.

The men’s challenge is set to begin the week of July 10 and will conclude the week of Aug. 7, while the women’s challenge will begin the week of July 17 and will end the week of July 31. All USTA Pro Circuit tournaments will be streamed live here.

Men’s Events

 

The men’s wild card will be awarded to the American player with the highest total of ATP singles ranking points, including points earned in qualifying and the main draw, from three of the following five tournaments:


Week of July 10: $75,000 Winnetka, IL; $75,000 Winnipeg, Canada
Week of July 17: $125,000 Astana, KAZ; $75,000 Gatineau, Canada
Week of July 24: Atlanta ATP World Tour 250; $100,000 Granby, Canada; $75,000 Binghamton, NY
Week of July 31: Washington, D.C. ATP World Tour 500; Los Cabos ATP World Tour 250; $125,000 Chengdu, CHN; €85K+H Segovia, ESP; $75,000 Lexington, KY
Week of Aug. 7: Montreal ATP World Tour Masters 1000; $150,000 Jinan, CHN; $100,000 Aptos, CA; €43K+H Portoroz, SLO


Women’s events

 

The women’s wild card will be awarded to the American player with the highest total of cumulative WTA singles ranking points at two of the following three tournaments:

Week of July 17: $60,000 Stockton, CA (main-draw points only)
Week of July 24: $60,000 Sacramento, CA (main-draw points only)
Week of July 31: $60,000 Lexington, KY (main-draw points only); Washington, D.C. WTA International Event (qualifying and main-draw points); Stanford WTA Premier Event (qualifying and main-draw points)

The USTA, which also utilizes the wild-card challenge format for the French Open and Australian Open, first held the US Open Wild Card Challenge in 2012, when Steve Johnson and Mallory Burdette claimed the wild cards and both reached the third round of the US Open. In 2013, Bradley Klahn and Shelby Rogers earned the wild cards, with Klahn winning his first-round match. And in 2014, Nicole Gibbs reached the third round of the US Open (her career-best Grand Slam result), while Wayne Odesnik captured the men’s wild card.

In 2015, Bjorn Fratangelo made his Grand Slam main-draw debut by earning the men’s wild card, while Samantha Crawford competed in the US Open as the women’s wild card winner. Last year, Ernesto Escobedo and Sofia Kenin both made their Grand Slam debuts at the US Open by receiving the wild cards, with Escobedo picking up his first Grand Slam win.

Only Americans who did not earn direct entry into the US Open are eligible to compete for the wild card. In the event of a tie, the player with the best ATP (on Aug. 14) or best WTA (on Aug. 7) singles ranking will be awarded the wild card.

The 2017 US Open main draw will be held Monday, Aug. 28, through Sunday, Sept. 10.

Click here for more information on the US Open Wild Card Challenge, and follow the USTA Pro Circuit #USTAProCircuit.

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