Swiss Stan Wawrinka has been handed a wildcard entry to the US Open men's singles draw, organisers said on Wednesday, after several days of outcry from fans over his exclusion.
The 2016 champion was left off the initial list of wildcard entries in his farewell season, reigniting fierce debate over which players get the nod -- and which are left out -- in the wildcard process at the majors.
Wawrinka posted an emotional farewell to the tournament on social media on Tuesday, seemingly closing the door on any hope of his competing in the year's final major after participating in the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon this year on wildcards.
"I’m incredibly excited to accept the wildcard for the 2026 US Open and look forward to competing in front of the fans in New York once again," he said in a statement.
The 41-year-old former world number three won at Roland Garros in 2015 and the Australian Open in 2014.
Elsewhere, Serena and Venus Williams have received a women's doubles wildcard entry.
The sisters have played together in the US Open doubles nine times, most recently in 2022, when Serena made an emotional farewell to the sport.
Serena exited the mixed doubles tournament with partner Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.
Serena, a 23-times Grand Slam champion, returned to the court for the first time in nearly four years at the Queen's Club Championships in London in June.
The 44-year-old showed glimpses of her old form in her two mixed doubles matches on Tuesday, firing down a 120 mph (193.1 kph) ace to gasps from the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The 46-year-old Venus reached the women's doubles quarter-finals last year with Canadian partner Leylah Fernandez.
The Williams sisters played together this month in Cincinnati, where they lost in their opening match.
They were once among the most formidable doubles pairs on the circuit, winning the US Open title in 2009 and 2019.
The women's doubles first round begins at Flushing Meadows on September 3.
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