NEW YORK, August 26 – Fifteen-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer and rising Scottish star Andy Murray are seeded one-two in men's singles respectively for the US Open, the United States Tennis Association announced Tuesday.Russian Dinara Safina is the No. 1 women’s seed for the tournament which begins Monday at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Former world No. 1 Rafael Nadal follows Murray as the third seed while Serbian Novak Djokovic and American Andy Roddick round out the top five on the men’s side of the draw.
Djokovic was the runner-up to Federer in the 2007 tournament while Roddick won the 2003 US Open for his only major title so far.
Swiss superstar Federer is the men’s all-time leader with 15 majors, including three of the last four Grand Slams. He won the French Open and Wimbledon titles earlier this season.
Safina, who was runner-up at the Australian Open and French Open this year, is followed by reigning US Open champ Serena Williams. Serena’s sister Venus Williams is third while 2004 US Open finalist and reigning Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva is fourth. Last year’s US Open runner-up Jelena Jankovic rounds out the top five.
Former US Open champ Maria Sharapova, who took 10 months off following major shoulder surgery, is seeded 29th.
The 11-time major champion Serena Williams has won three of the last four Grand Slams on the ladies’ WTA Tour.
Dementieva is fresh off her impressive victory in Sunday’s final of the Toronto WTA tournament which vaulted her past Serb Jankovic into fourth place in the world rankings.
The draws will be announced on Thursday.