Wawrinka handed US Open wildcard after fan outcry

New York, Aug 26 - Swiss tennis star Stan Wawrinka has been granted a wildcard entry into the U.S. Open men's singles tournament, according to organizers, following a wave of fan protests over his omission from the initial list. The 2016 champion was removed from the wildcard list in his final season, sparking intense discussion about the criteria used to select players for the prestigious event.

Wawrinka expressed his gratitude on social media, stating that he was "incredibly excited" to accept the wildcard and anticipated competing in front of the fans in New York for the third time in his career. The 41-year-old, a former world number three, had previously won titles at Roland Garros in 2015 and the Australian Open in 2014.