HEWITT TO PLAY US MEN’S CLAY COURT CHAMPIONSHIP

Written by: Staff on 4th March 2011

HEWITT TO PLAY US MEN’S CLAY COURT CHAMPIONSHIP

Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) |

Former World No. 1 and winner of two Grand Slam tournament titles Lleyton Hewitt has accepted a wild card for the 2011 US Men’s Clay Court Championship at River Oaks Country Club April 4-10.

Hewitt, the 2009 Houston champion, joins former champions Mardy Fish (2006) and Juan Ignacio Chela (2010) in the singles field.

“We are thrilled Lleyton has accepted the wild card offer and is returning to Houston,” said Tournament Director Van Barry. “We have a very strong field this year, and adding a former champion who is also a Grand Slam champion and a former World No. 1 certainly makes this year’s tournament even better.”

The US Open champion in 2001 and Wimbledon champion in 2002, Hewitt has also twice been runner-up at a major (US Open in 2004 and Australian Open in 2005). The Australian is third among active players for weeks ranked No. 1 with 80, behind Roger Federer’s 285 and current No. 1 Rafael Nadal’s 85 weeks (through Monday, Feb. 28). His 28 career titles is fourth among active players behind Federer (67), Nadal (43) and Andy Roddick (30).

Hewitt has accepted the second of the tournament’s three wild cards. American James Blake will also enter the tournament with a wild card. The third recipient will be announced in the coming weeks.

Other notable entrants among the first 21 of the 28-player field to be announced include Houston resident Michael Russell, Americans John Isner and Sam Querrey, and former Baylor star Benjamin Becker.

Three-time doubles champions Bob and Mike Bryan, who claimed their 10th career major title by winning the Australian Open earlier this year, will headline the doubles field for the US Men’s Clay Court Championship. The full field for that event will be announced closer to the tournament.