The United States Tennis Association announced on Tuesday that American Christina McHale has earned a wild card entry into the 2009 Australian Open women’s singles main draw.
McHale was awarded a wild card after winning the USTA wild card tournament at the USTA Training Facility in Boca Raton, Florida last week.
The women’s competition featured Lauren Albanese, Madison Brengle, Gail Brodsky, Mallory Cecil, Vania King, McHale, Asia Muhammad, and CoCo Vandeweghe.
The eight-player field was split into two round robin groups, with the winner of each to play each other for the wild card. McHale defeated Brodsky in the final 6-1, 6-0 after advancing with a perfect 3-0 record in the round robin (Brodsky advanced with a 2-1 record).
Mchale, 16, of Englewood Cliffs, N.J., who will be appearing in her first Grand Slam main draw, began the year ranked No. 712 and is currently No. 377 in the world. Playing mainly on the USTA Pro Circuit this year, she reached the semifinals at $25,000 Augusta, Ga., in October, and also reached the quarterfinals of $50,000 events in San Diego and Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.
In junior events, McHale reached the Girls’ 18s final at the Dunlop Orange Bowl two weeks ago, and was a leading member of the U.S. Junior Fed Cup championship team in September. McHale works full-time at the USTA Training Center in Boca Raton, Fla.
The USTA and the Tennis Australia have a reciprocal agreement in which wild card entries into the main draw at the 2008 US Open and the 2009 Australian Open are exchanged. The 2009 Australian Open will be played January 19-Febuary 1 at Melbourne Park.
