Pro Media & News

US OPEN WILD CARD CHALLENGE RETURNS FOR 2018

Ashley Marshall | June 18, 2018


For the seventh consecutive year, a coveted place in the US Open will be up for grabs when the US Open Wild Card Challenge gets underway on the hard-court swing this summer.

One American man and one American woman will be awarded a main-draw wild card into the final Grand Slam of the season based on their performances at tournaments held during a five-week window from July 9 to Aug. 6.

Only players who do not earn direct entry into the US Open main draw on the strength of their singles ranking are eligible for the wild card.

On the men’s side, the berth will go to the American who accumulates the most points from his best three results from 16 worldwide hard-court events at the Challenger level and above.

For the women, the wild card will go to the person who earns the most points from her best two results in the main draw of $60,000 USTA Pro Circuit events in Honolulu, Berkeley, Calif., Ashland, Ky., and Landisville, Pa., and in qualifying and main-draw results from the WTA tournaments in San Jose, Calif., and Washington, D.C.

In the six years since the wild card challenge has been in place, six different men and five different women have earned their place in the main draw, with only Sofia Kenin (pictured above) winning it more than once.

 

The hard-court success needed to top the wild card challenge standings has also often been replicated at the US Open. Four of the 12 players – Steve Johnson, Mallory Burdette, Nicole Gibbs and Kenin – have reached the third round, and two others – Bradley Klahn in 2013 and Ernesto Escobedo in 2016 – won their opening match. Only once, in 2015, did neither winner advance to the second round.

In the event of a tie in the US Open Wild Card Challenge standings, the player with the best ATP or best WTA singles ranking on Aug. 13 will be awarded the wild card. Should the winner of the challenge later earn direct entry into the US Open, the second-highest finisher would take the wild card place.

All USTA Pro Circuit tournaments will be streamed live on www.procircuit.usta.com.
 

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