Hewitt, Blake Earn US Open Wildcards

By Chris Oddo

(August 14, 2012)--2001 US Open champion Lleyton Hewitt and two-time US Open quarterfinalist James Blake have been awarded wildcards into this year's US Open.

Hewitt, 31 and currently ranked 134 in the world, earned his wildcard through a reciprocal agreement between the USTA and Tennis Australia.

Blake, 32, reached the quarterfinals of the 2005 US Open as a wildcard. He upset Rafael Nadal that year, before losing to Andre Agassi in a five-set instant classic.

Blake is currently ranked 106 in the world.

Jack Sock, 19 and currently ranked 252 in the world, earned his third consecutive wildcard into the main draw. In 2010 and 2011, Sock secured his wildcards by winning the USTA 18s in Kalamazoo. Last year Sock won the mixed doubles title at the US Open, pairing with Melanie Oudin.

Denis Kudla, 20 and currently ranked 163 in the world, was also awarded a wildcard. The Virginia native lost in the final round of qualifying in New York in 2011.

Steve Johnson, Dennis Novikov, Guillaume Rufin and Rajeev Ram round out the eight men's singles wildcards for this year's event.

(Photo Credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve)