AP – Lleyton Hewitt has received a wild card into this year’s US Open tennis tournament.

The Australian is a two-time major champion, winning the 2001 US Open, but has fallen to 134th in the world following foot surgery in February.

However, this week Hewitt has extended his impressive run of form, reaching the second round of the Cincinnati Masters after beating Wimbledon quarter-finalist Mikhail Youzhny 6-4 6-4 in his opening match of the American hardcourt season.

That came after he reached the final on grass at Newport and then pushed Novak Djokovic to three sets at the London Olympics.

The US Tennis Association announced its eight men’s wild cards on Tuesday for this year’s Grand Slam, which starts on August 27.

Americans receiving wild cards were James Blake, Steve Johnson, Dennis Novikov, Jack Sock, Denis Kudla and Rajeev Ram.

France’s Guillaume Rufin also got a wild card.

Hewitt and Rufin were invited through reciprocal arrangements with the Australian and French opens.