ORLANDO, Fla., May 4, 2026 (USTA Media Release)
Akasha Urhobo and Nishesh Basavareddy have earned singles main draw wild cards into the French Open later this month by winning the USTA’s Roland Garros Wild Card Challenges. The USTA and FFT have a reciprocal agreement to exchange main draw wild cards for the 2026 French Open and US Open, and the USTA uses this Challenge format to award its Roland Garros wild cards.
Urhobo, 19, has been one of the fastest-rising players on tour this year and clinched the wild card on Saturday by advancing to the singles final of the USTA Pro Circuit W100 in Bonita Springs, Fla. To date in 2026, Urhobo has compiled a 29-7 singles record, won three USTA Pro Circuit singles titles and improved her ranking from No. 332 at the beginning of January to No. 183 on Monday. This will mark her singles main draw debut at a Grand Slam event after playing US Open qualifying each of the last two years. She is currently coached by USTA National Coach Jermaine Jenkins.
Basavareddy, who turned 21 on Saturday, will be making his French Open main draw debut after competing in Roland Garros qualifying last year. A former world No. 99 who qualified and reached the second round at the Australian Open in January, Basavareddy used the 75 points earned from winning the Challenger title in Savannah, Ga., two weeks ago to overtake and outlast second-place finisher Emilio Nava, who fell one victory short last week from retaking the lead.
The final standings:
Women’s Standings
(Player’s current ranking in parentheses)
1. Akasha Urhobo (183) — 161
2. Mary Stoiana (149) — 87
3. Kayla Day (148) — 81
Men’s Standings
(Player’s current ranking in parentheses)
1. Nishesh Basavareddy (154) — 112
2. Emilio Nava (108) — 103
3. Jack Kennedy (433) — 64
Should the player with the highest number of Challenge points earn direct entry into the French Open main draw, the wild card will go to the next eligible American in the Challenge points standings. The Challenge counted ranking points earned from each player’s best three results at all clay-court pro events (at the W35 level and above for the women and the M25 level and above for the men) over the last five weeks.
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)
