Hewitt and Roddick bag ATP awards

Australian Lleyton Hewitt has been named ATP Player of the Month for September after winning his first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open.

American teenager Andy Roddick has picked up the Rising Star of the Month for the second time in succession.

Hewitt, who comprehensively defeated former U.S. Open champion Pete Sampras at Flushing Meadows, earned 200 Champions Race points and moved up to third position.

Having clinched one of the automatic spots for the Tennis Masters Cup in Sydney in November, the 20-year-old won his fifth title of the year at the Japan Open last week.

Hewitt is now only six points behind second placed Andre Agassi in the Champions Race -- the ATP's ranking system which only includes results in a calendar year.

Following his victory in New York, Hewitt also helped Australia reach their third consecutive Davis Cup final with a 4-1 win against Sweden.

"I've just come off the biggest month of my life, tennis wise, I put Australia through to another the Davis Cup final in Sydney -- it really has been a big few weeks for me," said Hewitt.

He is currently on a 14-match winning streak dating back to the third round of August's RCA Championships in Indianapolis, where he was beaten by Moroccan Younes El Aynaoui.

Roddick, who lost a thrilling U.S. quarter-final clash to Hewitt, also won the Rising Star of the Month award in August following his victory at the Washington Classic tournament.

The 19-year-old, currently in 15th position in the ATP Champions Race, gained 51 points in September.

Other candidates for Player of the Month award were Sampras, Tashkent winner Marat Safin and Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia.

Previous Player of the Month winners: