Serena Williams gets US Open seedings boost, Rafael Nadal top seed in men’s draw

US Open
Serena Williams pensive

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has announced the seedings for the US Open, and Serena Williams has been seeded 17th.

Six-time US Open winner Williams is currently ranked 26th in the world, but has been seeded nine places higher after she spent more than a year out of the game due to maternity leave.

USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier said her seeding was determined by “balancing a variety of factors, including her return to competition following the birth of her daughter, her recent hard court performance this summer, and recognition of her achievements at the US Open”.

Serena, who finished runner-up at Wimbledon in July, is seeded one place below her sister Venus.

World No 1 and French Open champion Simona Halep tops the women’s seedings ahead of Australian Open winner Caroline Wozniacki, defending US Open champion Sloane Stephens and Wimbledon winner Angelique Kerber.

In the men’s draw, world No 1 Rafael Nadal is the top seed ahead of Roger Federer, Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro, Kevin Anderson from South Africa, and Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic.

Kyle Edmund, who was earlier in the day given the nod for the 2018 Lavis Cup, is the only British player who is seeded for the final Grand Slam of the event and he is ranked 16th.

Rafael Nadal Serena Williams

Latest