Stan Wawrinka’s absence from the US Open has sparked criticism across the tennis world, with many arguing that the three-time Grand Slam champion was treated unfairly by the tournament.

Because he is currently outside the ATP Tour top 100, Wawrinka was not eligible to enter the main draw through ranking. Even so, many expected the Swiss veteran, now in his final year as an active player, to be handed one of the eight wildcards available at a major he won in 2016.

That did not happen. Instead, Wawrinka was left out, bringing his Grand Slam career to a close in the wake of the USTA’s decision.

The reaction has already prompted debate about whether the event should tighten its approach to wildcards. Journalist Jon Wertheim, speaking on Andy Roddick’s Served, said: “I think maybe the one thing that comes out of this, we just need parameters and guidelines [for wild cards].

“Maybe if you’ve lost x straight matches in a row, you’re ineligible, maybe if your ranking is not in the top 250… I think there are ways to do this a little more gracefully.

“I just think Stan got wild cards for the previous three majors, had a beer with Craig Tiley in Australia … Wimbledon wild card: I don’t think Stan made a Wimbledon semi. Quarter-finals at best, and he’s won this tournament!”

The men’s wildcards instead went to Darwin Blanch, Sebastian Gorzny, Jack Kennedy, Patrick Kypson, Gael Monfils, Dane Sweeny, J.J Wolf, and Michael Zheng.

Wawrinka’s case has been viewed as especially puzzling given his results in 2026. He reached the third round of the Australian Open after beating Laslo Djere and Arthur Gea before falling to Taylor Fritz. He later lost in four sets to Jesper de Jong at Roland Garros and produced a strong first-round match against Matteo Berrettini at Wimbledon.

So far this season, he has won seven ATP Tour-level matches, with victories over Arthur Rinderknech, Hamad Medjedovic, and Thijs Boogard.

His next appearance is still uncertain, though support is expected to be strong during the European indoor season later in the year. Wawrinka is widely expected to end his ATP Tour career at the Swiss Indoors, which begins on October 24th.

Carlos Alcaraz’s comeback at this year’s US Open is already one of the defining storylines of the season. After months away from competition, the Spaniard arrives under a level of scrutiny that comes with both his reputation and the unusual shape of this Grand Slam draw.

Alcaraz has not played since April, when a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open forced him to miss Roland Garros and Wimbledon. It is the longest layoff of his career, yet he still remains among the leading names for the title, a reflection of the standard he can produce when fully fit.

With Jannik Sinner also absent from the tournament, the door has opened wider for the rest of the field. Speaking to ESPN, Patrick McEnroe said Alcaraz will need to navigate his opening matches before he can be viewed as the clear favorite. He also described the 2026 event as a “golden opportunity” for the chasing pack, including the likes of Ben Shelton.

McEnroe added: “Obviously if Alcaraz comes back and gets through a few matches, looks good, he’ll quickly become the favorite.

“I mean, he’s the favorite right now, but he’d quickly become a bigger favorite. There’s no doubt the fact he hasn’t played since the spring, with Sinner out, this is a monster opportunity.”

Alcaraz enters the event as the second seed, behind Alexander Zverev, and the pressure is immediate. He is defending the title he won in 2025, which means the full 2000 ranking points are on the line at Flushing Meadows. An early defeat would bring a sharp drop in the rankings and a difficult start to his return.

To help regain rhythm, Alcaraz has also entered the US Open Mixed Doubles with multi-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams. They are scheduled to face Lloyd Glasspool and Erin Routliffe in the evening session on Tuesday, 25th August. Alcaraz has limited mixed doubles experience, though he did play the inaugural event with Emma Raducanu in 2025. That partnership ended in a first-round loss to Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula, and he will be hoping for a longer run this time to gather more match practice before the main draw.

Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally banned from tennis after testing positive for cocaine at the Mallorca Open, marking a serious setback for the Australian.

The length of the suspension has not yet been decided, but Kyrgios addressed the situation on social media soon after the news emerged.

“I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine. I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it,” he said.

“I’m sorry to my fans, my family, my sponsors and everyone close to me. Above all, I’m sorry to the kids who follow me. I know the example this sets and I’m deeply disappointed in myself.

Boris Becker later commented on the case and said he was not especially surprised by the outcome. Speaking on Becker Petkovic, the former Wimbledon champion said: “He tested positive for doping. In this case it was cocaine. Was I surprised? Not really. Given how I have seen him lately.”

Becker also outlined how the timing of the substance could affect the punishment. “And now the question is, did he take it before the match? Then I think he will be banned for at least two years,” explained the former world No 1. Or after the match, so not during a tournament. Then the penalty is milder.”

Even so, Becker expressed sympathy for Kyrgios and suggested he still could recover from the setback. “Yes, of course he can’t complain about criticism. He really dished it out at Sinner in his doping case. Simona Halep also commented on it and spoke of karma. Still I am a humanist and we are all human. We make mistakes. So I hope that he recovers.

“That he realizes that this is the wrong path. Drugs have no place in sports anyway. But especially with young people, he is only 31. And I hope that with help from his friends he finds himself again. I think he has lost his way a little bit.

“He spoke about the fact that he has realized how much he loves tennis. And how he misses not being at the top of the world and not playing tournaments anymore for whatever reason.”

Before the positive test, Kyrgios had made only scattered appearances on the ATP Tour during the year. He played singles in Brisbane, Stuttgart and Mallorca, and also featured in doubles at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

The possible sanction remains open-ended. Kyrgios could face as much as four years out of the sport, although he may be eligible for a far shorter ban if he can show that he took the substance outside competition, which in this case would be at the Mallorca Open. That could reduce the punishment to three months.

While he waits for the final decision, Kyrgios has also been taken out of the 2027 Kooyong Classic.