MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Australian star Lleyton Hewitt has received a wild-card spot in the Australian Open next month.
The two-time Grand Slam winner, once the top-ranked player in the world, is 188th after several injury-plagued seasons, but tournament director Craig Tiley said Thursday giving the 2005 runner-up a spot was the easiest decision he has had to make.
Tiley said ``Lleyton has had some bad luck with injury recently, which has seen his ranking drop, but he has proved time and time again he can never be discounted, particularly in a big match.''