NEW YORK, NY, USA - The US Open has included former champion Maria Sharapova in its list of main draw wildcards announced by the USTA on Tuesday. 

The 2006 winner will be joined in the main draw by USTA Girls’ 18s Nationals champion Ashley Kratzer, US Open Wild Card Challenge winner Sofia Kenin and NCAA singles champion Brianne Minor, defending US Open girls' champion Kayla Day and former junior World No.1 Taylor Townsend.

In a reciprocal agreement with the French Tennis Federation, Amandine Hesse, ranked WTA World No. 206, also received a main draw wildcard, while an additional wildcard will be provided at a later date via an agreement with Tennis Australia. 

Sharapova has not competed at Flushing Meadows since 2014, when she reached the fourth round. The Russian had missed three of the last four editions of the tournament dating back to a semifinal appearance in 2012.

Kratzer and Minor will each make their Grand Slam singles main draw debuts at the US Open, while Kenin appears in the main draw for a third consecutive year. Day reached the second round in her main draw debut a year ago by defeating fellow American Madison Brengle, before going on to win the girls' title, while Townsend will play in the main draw of the US Open for the third time.

Players receiving US Open qualifying wildcards are: former junior World No.5 and 2016 Wimbledon girls' doubles champion Usue Arconada; 2017 USTA Girls’ 18s finalist Kelly Chen; 2017 NCAA doubles champion Francesca Di Lorenzo; former World No.87 Victoria Duval; 17-year-old American Ashley Lahey; 2017 Wimbledon girls’ finalist Ann Li; 2017 Wimbledon girls’ champion and junior World No.1 Claire Liu; 15-year-old 2017 French Open girls’ champion Whitney Osuigwe; and 20-year-old American Katerina Stewart, who spent a year at Army-West Point.