Bradley Klahn Clinches US Open Wild Card
Asia Muhammad Leads Women’s Challenge,
as Brodsky, Kratzer, Pegula, Gibbs Give Chase in Landisville, Pa.
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., August 6, 2018 – Former NCAA champion Bradley Klahn has clinched a main draw wild card into the US Open via the men’s US Open Wild Card Challenge, while Asia Muhammad is the leader-in-the-clubhouse on the women’s side, with several players still in contention as the Challenge enters its final week.
Klahn, 27, made his last appearance in the main draw of the US Open in 2014, the year he rose to No. 63 in the world. Multiple back surgeries then kept him out of the game from February 2015 to November 2016, during which he contemplated retirement, before eventually returning to competition on the USTA Pro Circuit. He qualified and reached the second round at Wimbledon this summer, marking his first Grand Slam main draw appearance since 2014.
Klahn clinched the Challenge — which awards one American man and woman a main draw wild card entry based on their results in a series of hard-court professional tournaments over a five-week period — with his showing in Toronto on top of winning the $75,000 ATP Challenger in Gatineau, Quebec, three weeks ago. His victory over Ferrer gives him enough points (150) to outpace challengers Michael Mmoh, Marcos Giron and Tommy Paul, who are competing this week at the $100,000 USTA Pro Circuit Challenger in Aptos, Calif.
Asia Muhammad currently leads the women’s side of the Challenge, but a number of players competing this week at the $60,000 event in Landisville, Pa. — including Gail Brodsky, Ashley Kratzer, Nicole Gibbs and Jessica Pegula — could overtake her. In the event of a tie, the player with the best WTA singles ranking on Aug. 13 will be awarded the wild card.
Click here to view the current standings
Muhammad’s singles title victory over fellow American Ann Li at the $60,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Lexington, Ky., last week gave her a narrow lead in the women’s challenge. But Muhammad is not playing this week at the $60,000 event in Landisville, Pa., which is the last event counting toward the women’s challenge. Gail Brodsky, Ashley Kratzer, Nicole Gibbs and Jessica Pegula are among the top contenders who could overtake Muhammad with their performances in Landisville.
Click here to view the full standings.
Only hard-court events are included in the Challenge, which will consider the best three results for the men and the best two results for the women during this five-week window. Only Americans who do not earn direct entry into the US Open are eligible. In the event of a tie, the player with the best ATP or best WTA singles ranking on Aug. 13 will be awarded the wild card.
The remaining events in the US Open Wild Card Challenge:
Men’s Events
- Week of August 6: Toronto ATP Masters 1000; Jinan, China $150,000; Aptos, Calif. $100,000; Portoroz, Slovenia €64,000+H
Women’s Events
- Week of August 6: Landisville, Pa. $60,000
All USTA Pro Circuit tournaments will be streamed live on www.procircuit.usta.com. This is the seventh consecutive year the USTA has used a wild card challenge format to award US Open wild cards for American players.
Information on the US Open Wild Card Challenge will be available at www.procircuit.usta.com. Follow the USTA Pro Circuit #USTAProCircuit.
