Australian Open junior champ Ksenia Efremova will make her Slam main draw debut at the French Open (Image: Getty)
French Open organisers have confirmed this year’s wildcard recipients, with one big name not making the cut. The majority of main draw and qualifying wildcards have gone to French players. One male player and one female player from both Australia and the USA have also been given passes into the main draw, as part of the French Tennis Federation’s reciprocal agreement with Tennis Australia and the United States Tennis Federation.
Former champion Stan Wawrinka, who will retire at the end of this season, is the only non-French, Australian or American player to be included in the field. An ex-world No. 3, Wawrinka lifted three Grand Slam trophies during his career, including at Roland Garros in 2015. He also finished runner-up in Paris in 2017.
Aged 41, the Swiss star is playing his final season on the tour before hanging up his racket. During a pre-tournament press conference held last month, French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo confirmed that organisers would honour Wawrinka following his last match at Stade Roland Garros, so the decision to award him a wildcard doesn’t come as a surprise.
The current world No. 125 isn’t the only one making his final appearance in Paris. French veteran Gael Monfils will also be honoured during the tournament as he prepares to retire later this season. Now ranked at No. 222 in the world, the home favourite has been given a wildcard for his last outing on the Parisian clay.
French players Titouan Droguet, Hugo Gaston, Arthur Gea, and Moise Kouame have also been given main draw wildcards for the men’s singles event. Aged 17, Kouame had a breakthrough in Miami earlier this year, winning his maiden tour-level match at Masters 1000 level. He even received a message from Novak Djokovic afterwards.
American star Nishesh Basavareddy – who took a set off Djokovic at the 2025 Australian Open – and Aussie player Adam Walton have also been given passes into the main draw.
Retiring stars Gael Monfils and Stan Wawrinka will make their final appearances at the French Open (Image: Getty)
On the women’s side, Clara Burel, Ksenia Efremova, Fiona Ferro, Leolia Jeanjean, Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah, and Alice Tubello are the French players who have received wildcards. Efremova, aged just 17 and ranked at No. 623 in the world, won the Australian Open junior girls’ title in January and reached No. 1 in the ITF junior rankings, and will now make her Grand Slam main draw debut.
Teenagers Emerson Jones and Akasha Urhobo have received wildcards in agreement with Tennis Australia and the USTA, respectively.
But Venus Williams, a former finalist in Paris and a seven-time Grand Slam champion, has been snubbed from the list. The former world No. 1 recently played her first clay match in five years at the Madrid Open. She lost to Kaitlin Quevedo in singles but won a round with Katie Boulter in doubles. Williams missed the Italian Open as it clashed with the Met Gala, where she was a co-chair, but had shared her hopes of playing the French Open.
“Yeah, I mean, to get my feet dirty, this was a great start. I’m not able to play Rome, I have other commitments, unfortunately, so I’m really super sad about that, actually. My husband is Italian, so we feel sad that we can’t be there. So we would love to keep it going on the clay,” the 45-year-old said in Madrid.
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The qualifying wildcard recipients are
Eleejah Inisan (FRA / Age 17 / World No.605)
Selena Janicijevic (FRA / Age 23 / World No.248)
Tahlia Kokkinis (AUS / Age 17 / World No.485)
Manon Leonard LEONARD (FRA / Age 25 / World No.314)
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA / Age 32 / World No.852)
Amandine Monnot (FRA / Age 24 / World No.297)
Daphnee Mpetshi Perricard (FRA / Age 17 / World No.808)
Chloe Paquet (FRA / Age 31 / World No.277)
Margaux Roubroy (FRA / Age 25 / World No.313)
Florent Bax (FRA / Age 26 / World No.254)
Robin Bertrand (FRA / Age 23 / World No.278)
Sean Cuenin (FRA / Age 22 / World No.373)
Thomas Faurel (FRA / Age 20 / World No.375)
Antoine Ghibaudo (FRA / Age 21 / World No.287)
David Goffin (BEL / Age 35 / World No.249)
Sascha Gueymard Wayenburg (FRA / Age 22 / World No.259)
Calvin Hemery (FRA / Age 31 / World No.316)
Daniel Jade (FRA / Age 17 / World No.1857)