ORLANDO, Fla., October 28, 2025 (USTA Media Release)
Former junior stars Claire Liu and Patrick Kypson are now in the leads of the women’s and men’s Australian Open Wild Card Challenge after big results last week.
Liu, the 25-year-old former Wimbledon girls’ singles champion, qualified and reached the semifinals of the Guangzhou Open WTA 250, earning her 116 points. Liu had previously reached the second round in Melbourne in 2023 and has been ranked as high as No. 52.
Kypson is now in the lead of the men’s Challenge after winning his third ATP Challenger singles title of the year at the USTA Pro Circuit 100 in Sioux Falls, S.D. The 26-year-old former USTA Boys’ 18s National Champion previously won the Australian Open Wild Card Challenge two years ago to make his main draw debut in Melbourne in 2024, and also won the 2023 Roland Garros Wild Card Challenge.
Women’s Standings — through Week 3 of 5
(Player’s current ranking in parentheses)
1. Claire Liu (222) — 116
2. Elizabeth Mandlik (215) — 101
3. Anna Rogers (230) — 95
4. Katie Volynets (91) — 90
5. Mary Stoiana (326) — 77
Men’s Standings — through Week 2 of 5
(Player’s current ranking in parentheses)
1. Patrick Kypson (146) — 122
2. Eliot Spizzirri (100) — 113
3. Martin Damm (191) — 58
4. Matthew Forbes (1525) — 25
5. Andres Martin (270) — 20
The USTA and Tennis Australia have a reciprocal agreement in which main draw singles wild cards for the 2026 Australian Open and US Open will be exchanged.
The women’s wild card will be awarded to the American with the most ranking points earned at a maximum of three tournaments during a five-week window, running through the week of November 3. All indoor and outdoor hard-court and carpet events at the W35 level and above, including WTA Tour events, will be included in the Challenge.
The men’s wild card will be awarded to the American with the most ranking points earned from a maximum of four events during a five-week window that begins this week and runs through the week of November 10. All indoor and outdoor hard-court and carpet events at the M25 level and above, including ATP Tour and Challenger events, will be included in the Challenge.
Ranking points earned in the main draw and qualifying will be counted toward each player’s Challenge point total. Should the player with the highest number of Challenge points earn direct entry into the Australian Open, the wild card will go to the next eligible American in the Challenge points standings. In the event of a tie for the men or the women, the player with the best singles ranking on the Monday immediately following the conclusion of the Challenge will earn the wild card. Americans who otherwise earn direct entry into the Australian Open are not eligible.
