Akasha Urhobo needs to book a flight to Paris, because she has booked her entry into the main draw of the French Open, set to begin on May 18. The 19-year-old outlasted her American opponents in the USTA’s Roland Garros Wild Card Challenge. The USTA and French Tennis Federation have a reciprocal agreement in which main draw wild cards for the 2026 French Open and US Open will be exchanged.
On Friday at the Finemark Women’s Pro Tennis Championship in Bonita Springs, Florida, Urhobo outlasted Leyre Romero Gomaz, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(4) to clinch the French wild card as runner-up Kayla Day was defeated by Angela Fita Boluda, 7-6(4), 6-4.
It caps a remarkable spring run on clay for the American, as she kicked it off by winning her first WTA tour level match against Solana Sierra in Charleston on March 30.
This marks the first main draw trip of any kind for Urhobo, as her prior campaigns at majors consisted of first round qualifying defeats in Flushing Meadows over the past two years.
She joins good company, like last year’s winner, Iva Jovic. 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)
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