With just two challengers left on the USTA Pro Circuit after this week, almost every match feels meaningful, with players eyeing the Top 100 for direct entry into the Australian Open, or the Top 230 for entry into qualifying in Melbourne.
Earlier today, Wake Forest senior DK Suresh of India, who qualified yesterday, defeated No. 2 seed Liam Draxl (Kentucky) of Canada 6-3, 6-3, with Draxl unable to reach the Top 100 and the main draw of the slams in the past three months; his ATP ranking was 121 on July 13 and is now 121.
The three wild cards were 1-2 in the first round, with Ronit Karki, this year’s Wimbledon boys finalist, falling to No. 8 seed and Sioux Falls finalist Johannus Monday (Tennesse) of Great Britain winning 6-3, 7-5. Andre Ilagan (Hawaii) lost to former University of Virginia star Inaki Montes 5-7, 7-6(1), 6-4, while Montes was set to play University of San Diego senior Oliver Tarvet in the second round. Tarvet, who gained entry through the ATP’s Collegiate Accelerator Program, defeated No. 4 seed Nicolas Mejia of Colombia 6-4, 6-2 in the first round yesterday.
Wild card success came in the form of University of Virginia junior Dylan Dietrich of Switzerland, who defeated Alfredo Perez (Florida) 6-3, 6-4 today. Dietrich will play No. 4 seed Jay Clarke of Great Britain, who defeated Tyler Zink (Georgia, Oklahoma State) 6-2, 6-4.
Kalamazoo 18s champion Darwin Blanch received an ATP Next Gen entry, but lost in the first round today to qualifier Keegan Smith (UCLA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 2.
No. 7 seed Rafael Jodar of Spain is back home in Charlottesville, where the UVA sophomore is now one of the favorites for the title following his Challenger trophy in Lincoln two weeks ago. Jodar defeated Murphy Cassone (Arizona State) 6-4, 7-5 in the penultimate match of the first round tonight at Boar’s Head, the indoor home of the Cavaliers.
Wild cards were given to Alex Frusina (Auburn, Texas A&M), Michigan State senior Ozan Baris, ITF Junior No. 39 Maxwell Exsted and Joao Vitor Goncalves Ceolin (UT-San Antonio) from Brazil.
The only American to qualify was Keenan Mayo, who defeated 16-year-old wildcard Mason Vaughan 7-5, 6-4 in today’s final round. But five current colleagues advanced to the main draw today with victories: Martin Borisiouk (NC State), Sebastian Dominko (Notre Dame), Kriish Tyagi (Texas A&M) and Zsombor Velcz and Alexandru Chirita of Baylor.
Rain on Monday forced some players into a doubles match in qualifying today, but the qualifiers were set, with only two of the five originally scheduled matches played in the first round.
Americans qualifying for the main draw are Carson Tanguilig (North Carolina), Sophie Williams (Florida, James Madison), India Houghton (Stanford), Clemson recruit Harper Stone and Jaedan Brown (Michigan).
Nineteen-year-old Luca Udvardy of Hungary is the top seed, with the Oklahoma State freshman beating Dia Evtimova of Bulgaria 6-2, 6-1 in the first round today.
Capucine Jauffret of Florida, who gained entry through the ITF’s junior reserved program, defeated Sara Shumate of Oklahoma, a wild card, 6-1, 6-1 in the other first-round match completed today.
Wild cards were awarded to teenagers Ciara Harding and Janae Preston, who drew each other and were on today’s schedule with Preston leading 6-3 and 4-5 when play was stopped. Thea Frodin also gained access through the junior reserve program; she trailed No. 6 seed Carolina Bohrer Martins of Brazil 6–4, 3–3 when play was suspended for the day.
Last week’s Hilton Head W15 champion Kennedy Drenser-Hagmann received the fourth wild card, with the 16-year-old from Michigan playing Tori Kinard, who at 37 is more than twice her age. Kinard has gone 280-327 on the Pro Circuit; Drenser-Hagmann is 7-0 via qualification, having played only one tournament.
The results of the third week for women and the second week for men in the USTA’s Australian Open Wild Card Challenge have been calculated and there are two new leaders, with Patrick Kypson moving into first place, ahead of Eliot Spizzirri (Texas), who made the ATP Top 100 for the first time yesterday after reaching the final of the Challenger 100 in France.
Claire Liu took over the No. 1 spot in the women’s race, passing Elli Mandlik.
Stand-up update from the Australian Open Wild Card Challenge
ORLANDO, FL, October 28, 2025 – Former junior stars Claire Liu and Patrick Kypson now lead 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 116 points. Liu had previously reached the second round in Melbourne in 2023 and is ranked No. 52.
Kypson now leads the Men’s Challenge after winning his third Challenger title of the year at the USTA Pro Circuit 100 in Sioux Falls, SD. 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 Ranking – through week 3 of 5
(Player’s current ranking in brackets)
1. Claire Liu (222) — 116
2. Elizabeth Mandlik (215) — 101
3. Anna Rogers (230) — 95
4. Katie Volynets (91) — 90
5. Maria Stoiana (326) — 77
Men’s standings – through week 2 of 5
(Player’s current ranking in brackets)
1. Patrick Kypson (146) — 122
2. Eliot Spizzirri (100) — 113
3. Martin Dam (191) — 58
4. Matthew Forbes (1525) — 25
5. Andres Martin (270) — 20
The USTA and Tennis Australia have a mutual agreement to exchange main draw wildcards for the 2026 Australian Open and US Open.
The women’s wild card is awarded to the American with the most ranking points earned in up to three tournaments over a five-week period running through the week of November 3. All indoor and outdoor hard court and carpet events at 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 in up to four events over a five-week period beginning this week and running through the week of November 10. All indoor and outdoor hard court and carpet events at M25 level and above, including ATP Tour and Challenger events, will be included in the Challenge.
Ranking points earned in the Main Tournament and Qualifying will count towards each player’s Challenge Points total. Should the player with the highest number of Challenge points gain 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 men’s or women’s tie, the player with the best singles ranking on the Monday immediately following the end of the Challenge will earn the wild card. Americans who otherwise earn direct entry into the Australian Open are not eligible.
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