Hewitt Receives Queen’s Wild Card

Written by: Staff on 22nd May 2012

Hewitt Receives Queen's Wild Card |

Courtesy of ATP

Original link: ( http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/05/Features/London-Hewitt-Joins-Field.aspx )

Lleyton Hewitt, a four-time champion at The Queen’s Club, and Britain’s James Ward, who enjoyed a memorable run to the semi-finals last year, have been awarded the first two wild cards into the AEGON Championships, which takes place 11th-17th June.

Hewitt, then the World No.1, completed a grass court double in 2002, defeating Tim Henman in the final at The Queen’s Club, and then David Nalbandian in the final of The Championships, Wimbledon.

“I’m really looking forward to returning to the AEGON Championships at Queen’s this year after a couple of years away, and I appreciate having been given the wild card,” said Hewitt. “It’s been one of my favourite tournaments throughout my career, and to be one of only four players along with John McEnroe, Boris Becker and Andy Roddick to have won the title four times is a thrill. It’s going to be great to come back after my injury and go straight out onto the best grass courts in the world, and then have Wimbledon to look forward to after that. I can’t wait.”

Ward overcame Top 20 player Stanislas Wawrinka and the 2010 champion Sam Querrey to reach the last four of the AEGON Championships in 2011, before narrowly missing out on an all-British final when he was beaten by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

“I’m really happy and grateful to have been given a wild card into the AEGON Championships,” said Ward. “Reaching the semi-finals last year was a fantastic experience – the best of my career so far, and I’m going to give it everything I’ve got to try to make the most of what is a great opportunity.’

Hewitt and Ward join six of the world’s Top 12 players players in the singles field, with Andy Murray (4), Tsonga (5), Janko Tipsarevic (8), Juan Martin Del Potro (9), Mardy Fish (11), and Gilles Simon (12) all entered. Another four-time champion, Andy Roddick, will also be part of the line-up.

Tournament Director Chris Kermode, said: “Lleyton shares the record with Andy (Roddick), John McEnroe and Boris Becker for the most title wins at the AEGON Championships, and it’s great to have him back. He adds further appeal to a singles field of such depth and quality that every ticket-holder is guaranteed to be watching a fantastic line-up of matches. We are also delighted that James Ward will return – he was one of the stories of the tournament in 2011, and I know he is determined to go on another run at The Queen’s Club this year.”

The event will announce a further three wild cards before the singles draw is made on Saturday 9th June.

The AEGON Championships will be broadcast live, every day from 11th-17th June, on BBC Television and Eurosport.

For more information about the event, please go to the official AEGON Championships website.

Topics: AEGON Championships, Lleyton Hewitt