John Isner suggests the reason the US Open chose not to award Stan Wawrinka a wildcard

Many had expected Wawrinka to receive a wildcard from the USTA. After all, the 41-year-old is a former champion in New York.

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Wawrinka is set to retire from his playing career at the end of this season, bringing the curtain down on his 23-year professional career.

Steve Johnson and John Isner have discussed the potential reasons behind Wawrinka not receiving a wildcard for the final Grand Slam of the calendar year.

John Isner discusses Stan Wawrinka’s US Open wildcard snub

“This is how it’s always been,” Johnson, the former world number 21, said on the Nothing Major Show.

“It’s the US Open – they have five wildcards basically allocated already, and there are three to be given out.

“It is what it is.

“The USTA and the US Open felt like the Americans, it’s their home slam and their opportunity to get it.

“None of us are in the room. There is a committee now which votes for it. It’s not just one person.”

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John Isner, a Miami Open champion and former world number eight, then built upon his colleague’s argument.

“Stan has received a wildcard before into the US Open,” Isner [pictured below] stated.

“Not last year because it was a similar situation last year, so I think the USTA would be setting – in their minds – a bad precedent by giving a discretionary wildcard two times to a foreign player.

“I think that’s how they look at it.

“Yes, he is a former champion, and it would be great drama for him to play. So you get one, and that’s it.”

As Isner mentioned, Wawrinka has been awarded a discretionary wildcard in the past.

The Swiss superstar received a wildcard in 2024, as did 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem.

Wawrinka was not awarded a wildcard for the 2025 event.

Stan Wawrinka’s last US Open victory

After receiving a wildcard for the 2024 event, Wawrinka was drawn against Italian Mattia Bellucci in the first round.

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Bellucci brought Wawrinka’s campaign to an abrupt halt, beating the Swiss legend 6-4, 7-6, 6-3.

A year earlier, Wawrinka recorded his final victory in New York.

The three-time Grand Slam champion defeated Yoshihito Nishioka in the first round, triumphing 7-6, 6-2, 6-4.

He was then beaten by Tomas Martin Etcheverry, 7-6, 6-7, 3-6, 2-6.

Wawrinka made his US Open main-draw debut all the way back in 2003.

The Swiss player, then 18 years old, defeated wildcard Rajeev Ram and Mariano Puerta before losing to future Olympic gold medallist Nicolas Massu.

Around 13 years later, Wawrinka defeated Novak Djokovic to win the US Open title.