LLEYTON HEWITT GRANTED A WILD CARD IN HOUSTON TENNIS , APRIL 4&5 ARE FREE SESSIONS

Written by: Staff on 1st April 2015

LLEYTON HEWITT GRANTED A WILD CARD IN HOUSTON TENNIS , APRIL 4&5 ARE FREE SESSIONS

epa04575134 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia reacts during his second round match against Benjamin Becker of Germany at Rod Laver Arena during the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 22 January 2015. EPA/LUKAS COCH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Former Champion Hewitt Gets Wild Card

Australian was No. 1 for 80 Weeks; Former Wimbledon, US Open Winner

HOUSTON – Former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt has accepted the final wild card into next week’s Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship at River Oaks Country Club.

The 2009 champion at River Oaks, the 34-year-old Hewitt has announced this will be his final season on the ATP World Tour. He will retire from the sport in January 2016 following his 20th Australian Open.

Hewitt, a former Wimbledon and US Open champion, was No. 1 on the Emirates ATP Rankings for 80 weeks during his career. He owns 30 career titles and with a 612-255 career record, he is one of just five active players with over 600 wins.

While there is plenty of tennis ahead of him in 2015, Hewitt has already lined up work for after his playing days are over. He currently serves as a commentator on Australia’s Channel 7 during the Australian Open, and it was announced in January he will take over as Australia’s Davis Cup captain once he retires.

Hewitt is one of three former River Oaks winners in the draw, joining defending champion Fernando Verdasco and 2013 winner John Isner.

Fernando Verdasco of Spain in action against Juan Monaco of Argentina during a fourth round match at the Miami Open tennis tournament on Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida, USA, 31 March 2015. EPA/ERIK S. LESSER

John Isner of the USA in action against Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria during their third round match at the Miami Open tennis tournament on Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida, USA, 30 March 2015 EPA/RHONA WISE

Verdasco and Isner are two of the 13 players in the Top 50 of the Emirates ATP Rankings to be playing at River Oaks this year.

In addition to Hewitt’s wild card, two other players, Teymuraz Gabashvili and Marinko Matosevic, have gained entry into the field as the two special exempt spots from Miami will go unused.

The singles draw for the 2015 Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship will be made Friday at 4 p.m. The final four spots in the draw will be filled through the three-round qualifying tournament that will begin Saturday.

The opening two rounds of qualifying on Saturday and Sunday, April 4-5, are free for spectators. Main draw play will begin April 6.

Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship at River Oaks Country Club

River Oaks Country Club is hosting a professional tournament for the 81st time when the 2015 Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship is held April 6-12. River Oaks first hosted its own tournament, The River Oaks International, in 1931, and its roster of former champions includes Jack Kramer, Tony Trabert, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Ken Rosewall, Ivan Lendl, Guillermo Vilas and James Blake. Houston is the 23rd city to host the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. The tournament came to Houston in 2001, and has been hosted at River Oaks since 2009. Started in 1910 by the USTA, the 2015 tournament is the 105th competition for the Clay Court Championship. More information is available at www.usmensclaycourt.com

Topics: Fernando Verdasco, Houston, John Isner, Lleyton Hewitt, River Oaks Country Club, Tennis, U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship, Wildcard

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10sBalls_com says:

April 1, 2015 at 9:58 am

LLEYTON #HEWITT GRANTED A #WILDCARD IN HOUSTON #TENNIS, APRIL 4&5 ARE FREE SESSIONS- http://t.co/jCwtmC5KFq #tennis
chaffee_chris says:

April 1, 2015 at 9:58 am

RT @10sBalls_com: LLEYTON #HEWITT GRANTED A #WILDCARD IN HOUSTON #TENNIS, APRIL 4&5 ARE FREE SESSIONS- http://t.co/jCwtmC5KFq #tennis