Spain's Nadal named top seed at US Open tennis

Spanish World No.1 Rafael Nadal, who will learn his first-round opponent when the draw is made on Friday, has been named the top seed at the US Open, tournament organisers said.

The 31-year-old Nadal, who earlier this season won an unprecedented 10th title at the French Open and on Monday reclaimed the top spot in the rankings for the first time since June 2014, will be on the opposite side of the draw from Scottish World No.2 Andy Murray, reports Efe.

It marks the third time that the 15-time Grand Slam champion heads into the US Open as the top seed after 2008, when he lost in the semifinals, and 2010, when he captured his first of two titles in New York.

Swiss great Roger Federer, who is still going strong at age 36 and has had a remarkable season highlighted by winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon, is seeded third and will be looking to win his 20th Grand Slam title and an Open Era-record sixth title at Flushing Meadows.

Federer, whose 19 Grand Slam titles are the most ever for a men's singles player, has not won the US Open since 2008.

German 20-year-old Alexander Zverev Jr., who has captured his first two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles (Rome and Montreal) this season, is seeded fourth.

Czech Karolina Pliskova is seeded first in the women's singles, the first time she has had that distinction at a Grand Slam event.

Romania's Simona Halep and Spain's Garbiñe Muguruza are seeded second and third, respectively.

Three notable absences this year are Serbian two-time men's singles champion Novak Djokovic, who will miss the tournament with an elbow injury; defending men's singles champion Stan Wawrinka, out with a knee injury; and American six-time women's singles champion Serena Williams, who is pregnant with her first child.

The US Open gets under way on Monday.

--IANS

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