Former French Open Boys’ Finalist Brian Baker Claims USTA French Open Wild Card
Former French Open Boys’ Finalist Brian Baker Claims USTA French Open Wild Card
USTA Player Development announced that Brian Baker of Nashville, Tenn., has earned a main draw wild card into the 2012 French Open. This year, the USTA awarded one men’s singles main draw wild card into the French Open to the American player who finished with the best combined results at two USTA Pro Circuit clay-court challengers—a $100,000 event in Sarasota, Fla., and a $50,000 event in Savannah, Ga. Baker earned a combined 88 points, winning the title in Savannah and reaching the second round in Sarasota. The USTA and the French Tennis Federation have a reciprocal agreement in which wild cards into the 2012 French and US Opens are exchanged.
Baker, who is celebrating his 27th birthday today, was a qualifier in both Savannah and Sarasota and climbed 79 spots in the ATP rankings this week to No. 214 in the world—his highest ranking since February 2006. Baker has won two USTA Pro Circuit Futures events this year and started 2012 ranked No. 456.
Baker returned to pro tennis in 2011 after undergoing five surgeries for a series of ailments from 2005 to 2008, including Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery in February 2008. In 2005, he reached the second round of the US Open after upsetting then-No. 9 seed and former French Open champion Gaston Gaudio. Baker was also a standout junior, peaking at No. 2 in the ITF World Junior Rankings in 2003 after reaching the boys’ singles final at the French Open and winning the 2002 Orange Bowl International. While he was away from the game, he served as an assistant coach at Belmont University in Nashville, where he was also enrolled as a student.
2009 US Open quarterfinalist Melanie Oudin is atop the standings for the French Open women’s wild card after winning the $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit event in Charlottesville, Va., this weekend. The USTA will award one women’s singles main draw wild card into the 2012 French Open to the American woman who finishes with the best combined results in two of the following three $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit clay-court events—Charlottesville; Dothan, Ala. (held prior to Charlottesville); and Indian Harbour Beach, Fla. (being held this week).
Oudin, 20, who is currently training at the USTA Training Center-East at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, earned 80 points after winning Charlottesville and reaching the second round in Dothan. Play in Indian Harbour Beach concludes on Sunday. Oudin can clinch the wild card by reaching the final regardless if any other American wins the event.
MEN’S USTA FRENCH OPEN WILD CARD STANDINGS – FINAL
| Player Name | $100K Sarasota | $50K Savannah | Total |
| Brian Baker | 8 | 80 | 88 |
| Wayne Odesnik | 35 | 7 | 42 |
| Michael Russell | 35 | 0 | 35 |
***Sam Querrey earned 100 points for winning the Sarasota title, but received direct entry into the 2012 French Open.
WOMEN’S USTA FRENCH OPEN WILD CARD STANDINGS – THRU TWO EVENTS
| Player Name | $50K Dothan | $50K Charlottesville | $50K Ind. Harbour Beach | Total* |
| Melanie Oudin | 10 | 70 | Held this week | 80 |
| Julia Cohen | 32 | 32 | 64 | |
| Lauren Davis | 32 | 10 | 42 | |
| Coco Vandeweghe | 1 | 32 | 33 | |
| Jill Craybas | 18 | 10 | 28 |
*The women’s wild card will be awarded from the best combined results in two of the three events above.
***Irina Falconi holds 60 points for reaching the final in Charlottesville and the second round in Dothan, but received direct entry into the 2012 French Open.
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