US Open Preview

NEW YORK, NY, USA - The biggest stars of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour will assemble in New York City this fortnight, and after Thursday's draw, they could begin colliding as early as the second and third round, especially given a pair of former world No.1s, now on the comeback from injury, are floaters in the draw. Also, the Williams sisters fell on the same side - although they can't meet until the semifinals of the year's final Grand Slam tournament.

Dinara Safina became the 19th player ever to rise to No.1 on April 20 earlier this year and has held onto it ever since. The top seed at this year's US Open, she drew arguably one of the toughest quarterfinal opponents, Jelena Jankovic. Jankovic, a former No.1 herself, reached her first Grand Slam final here one year ago and beat Safina in the pair's only meeting this season, just a few weeks ago in the final of Cincinnati, and in straight sets, no less.

Other Top 16 seeds lurking in the top quarter are No.11 seed Ana Ivanovic, who could meet Jankovic in the fourth round (Ivanovic has won six of their eight career meetings) and No.16 seed Virginie Razzano, who could meet Safina in the fourth round (Safina has won four of their six career meetings).

The second quarter of the draw is highlighted by Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova, the No.4 and No.6 seeds. Kuznetsova has a 6-4 lead in the head-to-head but their most famous match came here, as Kuznetsova beat her compatriot in the 2004 US Open final for her first Grand Slam title. She won her second major at Roland Garros this year; but Dementieva has had a better summer hardcourt season, reaching the semis or better in all three tournaments she played, including a win at the Premier-level stop in Toronto.

Lined up to meet the Russians in the fourth round are are No.9 seed Caroline Wozniacki, who could meet Kuznetsova (Kuznetsova is 2-1 against her) and No.13 seed Nadia Petrova, who could meet Dementieva (they are 7-7 lifetime).

Another name to watch out for in the second quarter is Maria Sharapova, No.1 at one point but now No.30, working her way back up the ranks after a nine-month shoulder injury lay-off that stretched from August 2008 to May 2009. Sharapova, seeded No.29, won one of her three Grand Slam titles here in 2006, and could meet Dementieva in the third round. Although she lost to Dementieva in the Toronto final last week, she keeps an 8-3 head-to-head lead on her.

The bottom half of the draw is highlighted by the Williams sisters, both former champions at the US Open and both former No.1s. Venus lies in the third quarter of the draw, and could meet No.8 seed Victoria Azarenka in the quarters (Venus is 1-0 against her). The American, a winner here in 2000 and 2001 and ranked and seeded No.3, has arguably the most dangerous floater in the draw in her section - Kim Clijsters. Clijsters, a wildcard, returned to the Tour this month after spending over two years in retirement, having her first child. The former No.1 made quarterfinals in her first two events back, Cincinnati and Toronto, and the US Open could bring out the best in her again - she did win her only Grand Slam singles title here in 2005. The other Top 16 seeds in Venus' quarter are No.12 seed Agnieszka Radwanska and No.14 seed Marion Bartoli; Clijsters could play Bartoli in the second round and Venus in the fourth.

Serena, ranked and seeded No.2 and a three-time champion here, in 1999, 2002 and 2008, has No.7 seed Vera Zvonareva as her projected quarterfinal foe. Serena's 5-1 head-to-head lead over Zvonareva is closer than it seems, as the Russian did push three of her losses to three sets. Other Top 16 seeds in the bottom quarter are No.10 seed Flavia Pennetta, who could meet Zvonareva in the fourth round, and No.15 seed Stosur, who could play Serena in the fourth round. Serena's path to the quarters could be somewhat of a revenge mission - she could face No.28 seed Sybille Bammer in the third round (Bammer just beat her in Cincinnati) and Stosur (who just beat her in Stanford).

Whether the favorites make their projected rounds or not, one thing is for sure - it may be one of the most unpredictable draws in US Open history.

Source: sonyericssonwtatour.com