Wozniacki, Venus Williams & Isner Receive Wild Cards For 2023 US Open

| by Nurein Ahmed

The USTA confirmed the list of wild card entrants in both men's and women's main draws for the 2023 US Open which kicks off in less than a fortnight.

The WTA list is led by the two former number one players. American Venus Williams will play in her 24th main draw at the US Open. Williams made her US Open debut in 1997 as a 17-year-old and went all the way to the final where she lost to 16-year-old Martina Hingis.

Since then Venus has only ever missed three editions of the US Open in 26 years and has won the title in back-to-back years (2001/2002). The 43-year-old icon will be joined by another Tour veteran Caroline Wozniacki who is twice a runner-up at the US Open and is embarking on her second stint as a pro after coming out of retirement.

Three of the eight wild cards have been given to American teenagers. 19-year-old Ashlyn Krueger will play in her third main draw in a row after an impressive cameo from qualifying last year, while 18-year-old Robin Montgomery will play in just her second Grand Slam main draw match.

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Highly talented 17-year-old Clervie Ngounoue will mark her Grand Slam senior debut at Flushing Meadows after winning the USTA 18s national singles title. Ngounoue is the current ITF junior No. 2, and recently captured the Wimbledon girl's singles title at SW19 last month.

Completing the 8-player lineup for the women's are France's Fiona Ferro and Australia's Storm Hunter who earn wild cards as part of the reciprocal agreements between USTA and their tennis federations.

The ATP side has the same pool of experience and youth. Big-serving American John Isner could potentially play his final tournament in New York. With his ranking hitting three digits, Isner needed a wild card to play this year's US Open, and he's got one.

The American contingent will be in full voice. 18-year-old Alex Michelsen, a finalist in Newport, is the youngest man in the ATP's Top 150, and it was inevitable he was going to be in the main draw at the Big Apple. Michelsen will be joined by fellow compatriots Ethan Quinn and Learner Tien - the latter won the USTA 18s national singles title in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Veteran Steve Johnson won the US Open Wild Card Challenge in the men's section and is also in, while 25-year-old Michael Mmoh is rewarded for his steady progress in 2023. Australia's Rinky Hijikata and France's Benjamin Bonzi receive reciprocal wild cards as part of the agreement with Tennis Australia and French Tennis Federation respectively.

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