Baker earns USTA men's wild card for French Open

[May 01, 2012]  WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) -- Brian Baker of Nashville, Tenn., has earned a wild card into the French Open from the U.S. Tennis Association.

The USTA awarded the main-draw berth Monday, Baker's 27th birthday, based on results at clay-court Challenger events in Sarasota, Fla., and Savannah, Ga. He won the title at Savannah and reached the second round in Sarasota.

Baker reached the second round of the 2005 U.S. Open, but then was off the tour for years because of a series of operations, including reconstructive elbow surgery in 2008. He's now ranked 214th.

Melanie Oudin of Marietta, Ga., whose career has stalled after a surprising run to the 2009 U.S. Open quarterfinals, is leading the standings for the USTA's French Open women's wild card with one event left.

[Associated Press]

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