James Blake Gets a Wild Card

Written by: Staff on 29th September 2012

James Blake Gets a Wild Card

epa03379569 James Blake of the US hits a return to Milos Raonic of Canada during their match on the sixth day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 01 September 2012. The US Open runs through Sunday 09 September 2012. EPA/JUSTIN LANE |

SACRAMENTO, California, September 29, 2012-The USTA today announced that James Blake, Daniel Kosakowski, Bradley Klahn and Frederik Nielsen have been awarded wild card entries into the 2012 Relyaid/Natomas Challenger. This $100,000 USTA Pro Circuit Challenger event will take place September 29^th – October 7^th at the Natomas Racquet Club.

Blake peaked at No. 4 in the world in 2006 after he reached the quarterfinals of the US Open and has won five career singles titles. Daniel Kosakowski jumped 300 spots in ATP World Tour Rankings in 2011, a move that prompted him to turn pro following his freshman year at UCLA, where he was the team’s No. 1 player. Daniel recently won back-to-back USTA Pro Circuit Futures titles in Claremont and Costa Mesa.

Bradley Klahn cemented his place as one of the best college players in the country in 2010, winning the NCAA Division 1 singles title and reaching the doubles semifinals as a sophomore at Stanford. In the pro ranks in 2011, Klahn reached the final round of qualifying at the US Open and on the USTA Pro Circuit, advanced to the round of 16 at the $100,000 event in Vancouver.

Frederik Nielsen (Denmark) has a singles ranking of 352 and a doubles ranking of 22. Frederik and partner Jonathan Marray (GBR) pulled one of the year’s greatest surprises when they won the doubles title at Wimbledon.

The Relyaid/Natomas Challenger has experienced tremendous local support forming partnerships with FSP Shipping, Anderson Schoach and Lasher Audi Volkswagen.

Admission to the Natomas//USTA $100,000 Pro Tournament is free September 29-30, $10/day for October 1 – 4, $15 for October 5^th and $20/day for finals weekend October 6-7. Weekly packages ($75) available for purchase September 20^th. Visit www.natomaschallenger.com for details.