Sofia Kenin Awarded US Open Wild Card, Serena Will Not Play Singles

By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, August 22, 2026
Photo credit: Lexie Wanninger/San Diego Open

An American Grand Slam champion received the final US Open women’s wild card.

It’s not Serena Williams.

Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, has received the last woman’s wild card for the 2026 US Open, the USTA announced today. The 115th-ranked Kenin is joined by ATP world No. 115 Patrick Kypson, who was awarded the final US Open men’s singles wild card today.

The tournament had been holding onto the card in the hopes former world No. 1 Serena Williams, who lost to Maya Joint in the Wimbledon first round, would make a singles comeback.

The 44-year-old Serena won’t play singles in Flushing Meadows, but she will play in the US Open Mixed Doubles draw partnering reigning US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz in a super team next week.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena will play the US Open for the first time since she lost to Ajla Tomljanovic in the 2022 Flushing Meadows major.

The US Open main draw starts on Sunday, August 30th.

The 46-year-old Venus Williams has received a wild card into the US Open singles main draw.

US Open Women’s Singles Wild Cards:

MAIN DRAW

• Venus Williams, 46, seven-time Grand Slam and two-time US Open women’s singles champion
• Sloane Stephens, 33, 2017 US Open women’s singles champion
• Carol Young Suh Lee, 24, US Open Wild Card Challenge Winner
• Reese Brantmeier, 21, American Collegiate Player Wild Card Playoff Winner
• Thea Frodin, 17, USTA Girls’ 18s National Champion
• Leolia Jeanjean, 31, awarded via reciprocal agreement with FFT
• Taylah Preston, 20, awarded via reciprocal agreement with Tennis Australia
• Sofia Kenin, 27, 2020 Australian Open champion

QUALIFYING

• Janae Preston, 16, USTA Girls’ 18s singles finalist
• Katrina Scott, 22, American Collegiate Player Wild Card Challenge Finalist
• Caroline Dolehide, 27, former world No. 41 and current No. 246
• Ayana Akli, 25, current world No. 266
• Annika Penickova, 16, former Top-20 world-ranked junior
• Julieta Pareja, 17, USTA Girls’ 18s singles semifinalist, current world No. 290
• Kristina Penickova, 16, former world junior No. 1
• Savannah Broadus, 23, current world No. 307
• US Open Qualifying Wild Card Challenge Winner

The US Open Qualifying Wild Card Challenge is a new competition featuring rising American men and women competing for a wild card in the US Open Qualifying Tournament.

The Challenge will feature four men and four women competing in six total matches – men’s and women’s semifinals and finals – with the winners receiving a wild card into Qualifying August 24-27. Matches will begin at 10 a.m. on August 23 and will be played on Courts 4-7 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.