Agassi, Clijsters top U.S. Open seedings
Tuesday, 19 August 2003 07:46World number ones Andre Agassi and Kim Clijsters were named top seeds for next week's U.S. Open. Agassi, runner-up to Pete Sampras in 2002, will be hoping to live up to his top billing when the year's final grand slam gets underway in New York next Monday.
Australia's Lleyton Hewitt, seeded sixth, and Russsia's Marat Safin in 26th are the other former champions in the field. Switzerland's Roger Federer, who emerged victorious at Wimbledon last month, has been seeded second while French Open winner Juan Carlos Ferrero is third.
Newly-crowned world number one Clijsters heads the women's draw while her fellow Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne is second. With Serena Williams unable to defend her title after undergoing knee surgery earlier this month, this marks the first time that Belgium players occupy the top two spots at a grand slam.
Americans Lindsay Davenport and twice champion Venus Williams - who has not played since losing the Wimbledon final to her sister Serena last month - have been seeded third and fourth.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
