ORLANDO, February 23, 2026 (USTA Media Release)

The USTA’s 2026 Roland Garros Wild Card Challenge, which utilizes clay-court professional tournaments to award an American man and woman a main draw wild card into this year’s French Open, will begin the week of March 30 and run through May 3 for both the men and the women. 

Both the men’s and women’s wild cards will be awarded to the American players with the most ranking points earned — including qualifying and main draw points — at a maximum of three clay-court tournaments during the Challenge’s five-week window. All red-clay and Har-Tru events at the W35 level and above for the women and the M25 level and above for the men, including WTA and ATP Tour events, will be included in the Challenge.

Americans who otherwise earn direct entry into the French Open main draw, or those who have a protected ranking with which to enter the main draw, are not eligible for the Challenge. Should the player with the highest number of Challenge points earn direct entry into the French Open, the wild card will go to the next eligible American in the Challenge points standings. In the event of a tie, the player with the best ATP or best WTA singles ranking on Monday, May 4, will earn the wild card.

The USTA and FFT have a reciprocal agreement in which main draw wild cards for the 2026 French Open and US Open will be exchanged. The USTA utilizes this Challenge format to award wild cards into the Australian, French and US Opens.

Iva Jovic and Emilio Nava earned French Open main draw wild cards last year via the Challenge, and both reached the second round. Jovic has since risen to a career-high ranking of No. 18 in the world, and Nava has risen as high as No. 76.

Previous Americans to earn wild cards into the French Open via the Challenge and how far they advanced at Roland Garros are below, including Amanda Anisimova, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul and Emma Navarro.

Roland Garros Wild Card Challenge Winners:

2025: Iva Jovic (2R); Emilio Nava (2R)
2024: Sachia Vickery (1R); Nicolas Moreno de Alboran (1R)
2023: Emma Navarro (2R); Patrick Kypson (1R)
2022: Katie Volynets (2R); Michael Mmoh (1R)
2019: Lauren Davis (2R); Tommy Paul (1R)
2018: Taylor Townsend (2R); Noah Rubin (1R)
2017: Amanda Anisimova (1R); Tennys Sandgren (1R)
2016: Taylor Townsend (2R); Bjorn Fratangelo (2R)
2015: Louisa Chirico (1R); Frances Tiafoe (1R)
2014: Taylor Townsend (3R); Robby Ginepri (1R)
2013: Shelby Rogers (2R); Alex Kuznetsov (1R)
2012: Melanie Oudin (2R); Brian Baker (2R)