Australian Open Wild Card Challenge Standings Update

Elizabeth Mandlik shot to a big lead in the Australian Open Wild Card Challenge after the first week by winning the USTA Pro Circuit ITF World Tennis Tour W100 in Edmond, Okla., her biggest title to date. The full women's standings after the first week are below. 

Women's Standings

(Player's current ranking in parentheses)

1. Elizabeth Mandlik (211) -- 100
2. Lea Ma (349) -- 23
3. Madison Brengle (477) -- 21
4. Julieta Pareja (339) -- 17
5. Akasha Urhobo (412) -- 14

The USTA and Tennis Australia have a reciprocal agreement in which main draw singles wild cards for the 2026 Australian Open and US Open will be exchanged.

Above: Elizabeth Mandlik. Photo credit: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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, running through the week of November 3. 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 this week and runs through the week of November 10. 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.

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Courtesy of the USTA. Top photo credit: © Rolex/Antoine Couvercelle.