Orlando, Fla., October 28, 2026 (USTA Media Release)
2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens and former world No. 33 Jenson Brooksby are the leaders of the Australian Open Wild Card Challenge after Week 3 of 5 for the women and Week 1 of 5 for the men.
Stephens stays atop the women’s leaderboard as the women’s Challenge heads into its final two weeks. She is followed closely by 2026 NCAA singles champion Reese Brantmeier, who won the W75 Saguenay in Canada over the weekend. The victory marks the biggest title of Brantmeier’s career.
Brooksby holds the top spot in the men’s Challenge after the first week of its five-week window. Brooksby won the Fort Worth ATP Challenger 75 in Fort Worth, Texas, over the weekend, defeating fellow American Darwin Blanch. The victory marked his first title since the 2025 U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship ATP 250 and earned him the fourth Challenger crown of his career.
The top of the women’s standings after Week 3 of 5:
Women’s Standings
(Player’s current ranking in parentheses)
1. Sloane Stephens (115) — 106
2. Reese Brantmeier (215) — 95
3. Mary Stoiana (113) — 72
4. Madison Brengle (178) — 65
5. Elvina Kalieva (111) — 61
The top of the men’s standings after Week 1 of 5:
Men’s Standings
(Player’s current ranking in parentheses)
1. Jenson Brooksby (94) — 75
2. Darwin Blanch (144) — 44
3. Martin Damm (105) — 32
4. Nishesh Basavareddy (131) — 13
T5. Andre Ilagan (199) — 12
T5. Aidan Mayo (321) — 12
T5. Keegan Smith (185) — 12
T5. Patrick Maloney (774) — 12
The USTA and Tennis Australia have a reciprocal agreement in which main draw singles wild cards for the 2027 Australian Open and US Open will be exchanged.
The women’s wild card will be awarded to the American with the most ranking points earned at a maximum of three tournaments during a five-week window, beginning with events starting the week of October 5. The women’s Challenge window runs through the week of November 2. All indoor and outdoor hard-court and carpet events at the 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 from a maximum of four events during a five-week window that begins the week of October 19 and runs through the week of November 16. All indoor and outdoor hard-court and carpet events at the M25 level and above, including ATP Tour and Challenger events, will be included in the Challenge.
Ranking points earned in the main draw and qualifying will be counted toward each player’s Challenge point total. Should the player with the highest number of Challenge points earn 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 tie for the men or the women, the player with the best singles ranking on the Monday immediately following the conclusion of the Challenge will earn the wild card. Americans who otherwise earn direct entry into the Australian Open are not eligible.
